


Counting Stars

by Amycat8733



Series: Counting Stars 'verse [1]
Category: Stargate Atlantis, Stargate SG-1
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Bisexuality, Canon-Typical Violence, DADT Repeal, Heterosexuality, M/M, Romance, Sexual Content, Soul Bond
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-07
Updated: 2015-10-29
Packaged: 2018-02-24 10:22:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 59,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2578100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amycat8733/pseuds/Amycat8733
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John Sheppard and Cameron Mitchell have hidden what they are most of their lives. A chance encounter leads to life-changing events for both men as John's Ancient gene brings an Ancient myth to life. As the two settle into their relationship, they work together to navigate the highs and lows of life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Battle of Antarctica

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by numerous stories on this site, but especially by DorothyOz's The Kirk Myth. I owe her a huge thanks for her assistance and support as well as correcting my mistakes. Any further mistakes are mine.
> 
> As for canon, this is how the series match-up (huge thanks to DorothyOz for this!) ~~~
> 
> Between the Battle of Antarctica against Anubis when Cam is injured, and Jack frozen in the Outpost, and Jack's promotion to Brigadier General and CO of the SGC we have eight months. Cam joins the SGC and SG1 as Sam's second-in-command 6 months later (After 'Icon' 8x05, or around the time of 'Avatar' 8x06). At this time, Weir and her Expedition are almost ready to leave for Atlantis, and O'Neill visits the Outpost meeting Major Sheppard, who joins the Expedition. From this moment, season 1 of Atlantis and Season 8 of SG1 go together. 
> 
> After 'Moebius' the SGC receives a message from Atlantis ('Letters from Pegasus') and launches an Operation to save Atlantis ('The Siege').
> 
> At this time, Cam has been in the SGC 1 year.
> 
> Also after 'Moebius', Sam leaves the SGC for Area 51 and Teal'c joins the Free Jaffa in Dakara. Cam is left in command of SG1, but Daniel also wants to leave for Atlantis. Jack is promoted again and sent to DC, and Landry becomes the CO of the SGC.
> 
> During ‘Prometheus Unbound', Vala helps the SGC to gather information about the Goa'uld, the Lucien Alliance and other things around the Galaxy, and she earns their trust. She comes to Earth because she found an Ancient tablet for Daniel to translate. As a consequence of her little prank with the Goa'uld handcuffs and their experimenting with the stones terminal, they meet the Ori ('Avalon' and 'Origin'). With the threat of the Ori, O'Neill transfers Sam back to the SGC, leaving Cam in command to allow her time to play in the labs. Teal'c rejoins SG1; Daniel passes on going to Atlantis, and Vala joins in too, all to fight the Ori.
> 
> This is when the Expedition leaders return to the SGC for debriefing and to reorganize the Expedition.

Standing in the lee of a corrugated metal shed, Major John Sheppard watched the Battle of Antarctica. It was good that he had on snow goggles when a bright flash lit the area, otherwise he’d have been blinking away spots big enough to fly a C-130 through. He watched the sky long after the last flashes flickered overhead until his attention was drawn to his radio.

“Major Sheppard, report to Colonel Wilson’s office.”

“Understood.”

John pulled his scarf up and headed for his CO’s office. He stepped through the inner door and was struck by a wall of heat. He frowned inwardly at the extravagance. The barracks were chilly enough that everyone slept in two layers of clothes. John slept in an arctic sleeping bag and long johns from LL Bean that he’d paid to have shipped to the frozen South. He unwound his scarf and draped it over his shoulders then stuffed his hat and goggles in his pocket.

He snapped to attention and saluted as he announced his presence. Wilson was a stickler for formality from his subordinates even though he rarely used it himself.

“Sheppard. I’ve been ordered by the Pentagon to loan you to a highly classified project. They requested you specifically.” Wilson picked up a bright red packet and handed it to John. “Here are your orders. I am required to remind you that this mission falls under the National Secrets Act.” Wilson’s mouth twisted into a grimace. “Dismissed.”

John saluted again, spun smartly on his heel then left. He paused in the vestibule between the doors to don his hat, scarf, gloves and goggles once more then hurried back to his former position behind the shed. Safe from prying eyes, he opened the packet. He scanned the sheet inside then went back and re-read it slowly. He was to fly CSAR for the so-called training exercise he’d witnessed a scant few hours ago.

He headed to his single in the barracks – one of the few perks he got and changed into his flight gear. When he reached the helipad, his copter had been pushed out to the pad and uncovered, and the flight mechanics had added the skis. He normally didn’t get skis, but then, as one of the two pilots with clearance for the Top Secret research posts, he usually landed places that had places for him to land instead of loose snow. He slowly walked around his copter and performed the visual part of his pre-flight check. Done, he climbed in and started the copter up.

“Flight, this is Penguin. How’s the weather?”

“Weather is clear and a balmy 47, Penguin.”

“Copy that. Flight will be dark, tower.”

“Understood Penguin. Flight under wraps. Happy hunting.”

“Roger that, tower. Going dark.”

“You are clear for takeoff, Penguin.”

“Thanks, tower. Lifting off.”

John worked the throttle and cyclic and took off. Once he cleared the immediate surrounds; he flipped channels to the one listed in his oh-so-short orders.

“Cloud 7, this is Penguin en route from McMurdo for CSAR.”

“Penguin, this is Cloud 7. Work your way towards us. Beacon is on channel 143. IFF’s are code 19-7-3. You are to mark positions of any downed craft. Set your GPS markers for frequency 7. We will dispatch crews with retrieval equipment. You are only authorized to land if the pilot is in imminent danger.”

“Copy that, Cloud 7.”

John flipped several switches and soon a soft beeping filled the cockpit. He adjusted course and the beep from the IFFs grew stronger. When the beep became a steady tone, John put his copter into a hover. Below and to his left was a damaged aircraft, which resembled something from the old Battlestar Galactica. He spotted no movement, so he grabbed a GPS tracker, set it then opened his window enough to drop it out. The trackers also had the benefit that they shut the IFF’s down so searchers wouldn’t be pulled back to the same crash site.

He located three more craft in the same way. He also found the remains of several more that did not have working IFF. He marked those as well and presumed that the recovery teams would know how to deal with them. Routine went out the window when he topped a rise and found his fifth IFF just past a huge debris field. Splotches of red made a trail to a green-clad figure but had rung the dinner bell for a far-ranging polar bear. John pushed the cyclic forward and lowered to skim the crash site and the bear. He figured the bear had probably been tagged at some point because when he saw the copter, he took off as fast as he could.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Lieutenant Colonel Cameron Mitchell was pissed, hurting and half frozen. The battle against the aliens (and wasn’t that a kick in the ass?) had been going against them until a bunch of somethings that resembled golden squids squirted past his F-302. He’d used the squids to get close to one of the fat bastards and deliver a fatal blow, but the lucky bastard got him with its final shot before it crashed.

He blacked out briefly when he hit the ground, but the chill seeping in woke him. He wished it hadn’t though as he could barely feel anything below his waist. Crawling from the plane using his arms and minimally working legs was hell. Being out of the plane was good as he could see the sky, but it was bad as he was out of the minimal protection it might have offered. He still didn’t know if his co-pilot, Adam Banks, was alive or not. After a burst of fire had damaged their 302, he’d heard nothing from his friend. He collapsed against a snowbank to rest.

A growl woke him from his nap. A polar bear, hungrier or braver than the rest, had decided to have red meat for dinner.

“Don’t you know … red meat … is bad … for your health?” Cam asked.

The bear growled again and took a step forward just as an angel flew over the rise behind him. The pilot dipped the nose and buzzed the bear. The bear decided its eyeballs were bigger than its stomach and headed for colder pastures.

A cold wind whipped the snow up as the pilot landed. A lanky flight-suited figure dismounted from the cockpit, med kit in hand. The pilot dropped to his knees in the snow beside Cam.

“How ya doin’?”

“Been better.” Cam said. “Hey, how ‘bout my co-pilot, Major Banks? Did he make it?”

The other man looked over his shoulder at the wreckage. Even at this distance, he could tell the guy was dead. Half of his head appeared to be missing. Glancing down, he shook his head as he returned to the task at hand. “I need to know how badly you’re injured before I can move you.” The pilot pulled his aviators off and tucked them in a chest pocket. His gloves were next as he fished a bag of saline from his kit then set the IV in the back of Cam’s hand.

“Having trouble feeling anything below my waist.”

The pilot ran knowing hands along Cam’s legs and chest. Cam felt an odd tingle where the other pilot’s hands touched him. “Well, you’ve got compound fractures in both legs and a few busted ribs. I’m gonna get a backboard before I move you.” He dug into the kit again for some pressure bandages and held them up. “I’m gonna put these on to stabilize the breaks and so you don’t bleed all over my copter.”

Cam made a face at the mention of the restrictive backboard. “Nice to know you care.” He grunted.

“Hey, you’d do the same if our positions were reversed.”

The pilot looked Cam in the eye as he made the statement and Cam was struck by the man’s handsome features. His savior had the most gorgeous hazel eyes set in a slim face with the shadow of beard stubble darkening the cheeks. Cam stared as the man adjusted his IV, the spell finally being broken when the pilot stood and hurried back to his chopper. He returned with the backboard and Cam sputtered and cursed as the pilot got him settled.

“I’m gonna give you a hit of morphine before I move you cause this is gonna suck.”

Cam nodded, not trusting himself to open his mouth. As a distraction, he checked out his savior in an attempt to remember as many details as possible so he could find him later. He caught sight of part of the man’s name tag as the syringe met the IV.

**_John Shep…_ **

Darkness hid the rest.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

John grunted as he dragged the fighter pilot to his copter. He could still feel the fading sensation of heat running through his body from touching the other man. He’d seen his fare checking him out and had to admit that the attention was flattering. McMurdo was not a dating hotspot regardless of your orientation. He liked both men and women, but his partners had been mostly female over the last fifteen years since he signed his commission for the Air Force. His male liaisons had been few and far between, more quickie than anything meaningful.

He noted the guy’s name for his report and future reference. If DADT ever was repealed, he’d look the guy up and see what happened.

John propped the board against the copter and hurried to the other side so he could drag the guy in while wishing he had a flight medic aboard or at least a corpsman to help with the lifting. He’d be sleeping on heating pads tonight. “Well, Lieutenant Colonel Cameron Mitchell, you are a lot of trouble.” He said to his unconscious passenger as he secured him in the back of the copter. “Next time we meet, you owe me a steak and some beers.”

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The beacon led him to a spot in the ass end of nowhere. The only things that made the area notable were the group of tents and the hole in the ice that a bunch of grunts was trying to cover. He didn’t want to know what was down there. He landed near the field hospital and motioned over a pair of corpsmen who quickly unloaded his passenger and hustled him inside.

A lieutenant popped up at his elbow. “Major, Colonel Lawton wants to see you.”

John smirked. _Of course he does._ “Lead the way, Lieutenant.”

John was escorted to a big green tent. The lieutenant opened the flaps for John but stayed outside.

“Major Sheppard, as requested, Sir.”

“At ease, Major,” Lawton said. “So why did you land instead of dropping a marker?”

“My orders were to drop markers unless the survivor’s life was in danger, Sir,” John said in his best I’m right and you know it drawl. “Within the scope of my orders, I figured a hungry polar bear qualified as a threat. It most likely had been attracted to the area by the scent of blood, Sir.”

Watching Lawton grind his teeth, John wondered if the man had any left.

“You did well, Major,” Lawton said. “Grab some chow and get your bird refueled. I need you back in the air soon as possible.”

John’s eyes bugged, but he kept his mouth shut. Regs called for more time between flights, but he figured this was a special case. The look in Lawton’s eyes was daring him to object. “Yes, Sir.”

After a hot MRE that he took his time eating, John was back in the air. He found four more craft before fading light and exhaustion forced him down. The same lieutenant met him again and accompanied him to the mess hall and to the field hospital when he noticed John’s hunched posture. John considered protesting, but his back hurt too much. He’d gotten caught in some turbulence, and it had bounced him around a bit. The docs at the hospital gave him a quick checkup, a couple of Tylenol 3, and a mild muscle relaxer. He’d tried to check on his patient, but the guy was nowhere in sight. Figuring he might be in a different area, John let it go.

The ever present lieutenant then took him to a tent. What he thought was one big tent turned out to be a smaller one inside a bigger one. The small one would hold two people although he was its only resident. Well, him and the ceramic heater in the middle of the floor. John kicked off his boots, stripped off his flight suit, unrolled the sleeping bag, and crawled in. He took his pills and drank down half a bottle of water and lay down. He was asleep in no time.


	2. Antarctica II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow! Thanks to all of you for the response! While my other plot kitty is being lazy, this universe's plot kitty is wide awake. Thanks to all of you for the comments and kudos.
> 
> Big thanks to DorothyOz for her beta on this tale and for her inspired additions. You rock!

Cam groaned and heaped curses on the person who served the bad chicken salad as he lunged for the bucket beside his bed in the SGC’s infirmary. His stomach was empty, but the dry heaves kept him doubled over just the same. His stomach relented and Cam flopped back onto the sheets. A shadow fell across his bed and he glanced up into the irritated face of Brigadier General Jack O’Neill.

“Mitchell, if you didn’t want to go with me you could have said so.”

Cam groaned again. He’d been looking forward to the Antarctica trip. It had been over a year since the battle and he’d been hoping to get to talk to his savior. “I’d love to go with you, but I think Doctor Lam might hurt me if I try.”

Jack grimaced. “Yeah, I make it a point to never mess with doctors. The big needles are scary.” He patted Cam on the foot. “You get better. I don’t wanna hear that you’ve been slacking off.”

“Not me, Sir.” Cam crossed his heart. “Scout’s honor.”

Jack snorted. “Try again and I might believe it. I’ll get a pilot when I get to McMurdo.”

Cam almost recommended Sheppard but thought it might look a bit strange. O’Neill had pushed and gotten DADT repealed for the SGC, but he didn’t want to mess up Sheppard’s career.

“Have fun!” Cam called as Jack headed for the door.

Jack gave him a single digit gesture of regard then walked out the door, Cam’s laughter trailing him down the hall.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Jack O’Neill hated Antarctica with a passion. The place fucked with him every time he came within its grasp. This time was no different. His pilot, a Major John Sheppard, was very skilled and did a thorough inspection of his copter before they left McMurdo. That alone was impressive as many of the pilots he’d rode with over the years in various places did a cursory check then climbed in and took off. This guy definitely took his flying seriously.

His estimation of the major rose when he got the guy to tell him about the birds he’d flown. F-16, Pave Hawk, Pave Low, Cobra, Blackhawk, Osprey, and so on. Sounded like he’d flown everything he could get seat time for, which made him wonder why the guy was out here on the ass end of civilization. He made a note to check later. If it weren't anything too serious, he’d have Sheppard on a flight to Colorado.

The smelly stuff hit the spinning blades while they were en route when the outpost announced that a drone was live and seeking targets. The major rose several notches in his esteem when he out-maneuvered said live drone. Footwork that fancy deserved a reward, so he upped Sheppard’s Security Clearance on the spot. The barely hidden look of appreciation proved him right in thinking he’d never been past the outpost’s tiny mess hall.

Daniel snagged him at the bottom of the elevator and he barely had time to tell Sheppard not to touch anything before he was out of sight. Next thing he knew, he’s being yanked out of his meeting with Daniel, Weir, and McKay to go to the Control Chair. Jack paused as he entered the area. Sheppard was sitting in the Chair looking very bewildered. Jack was confused too. The Chair was fully reclined and giving off as bright a glow as it did for Jack himself, possibly even brighter.

“I thought I told you not to touch anything?”

“S…sorry, Sir. I … I just sat down.” Sheppard said.

“Major, think about where we are in the solar system.” McKay snapped out.

Immediately, a very detailed map formed in the air above the astounded pilot’s head.

“Did I do that?”

McKay, Weir, and Daniel started throwing questions at the poor guy who’d just become their favorite toy. One enterprising scientist pulled out a video camera to record the information the Chair was providing them.

Jack shook his head as he walked off, ignoring the plea for help that Sheppard had quickly sent his direction. Served him right to play light switch for a few hours for sitting in the damn chair.

 An hour later he understood why Sheppard was at McMurdo. He’d disobeyed orders and went after another pilot, Captain Jared Holland that had been shot down. He returned three days later carrying a dead body and barely conscious. After he had been treated for his injuries and dehydration, he was called before the Disciplinary Board. He walked out with his rank intact, an Article 15 black mark on his record, and orders for McMurdo to waste away until he had time served or grew tired of frozen dinners.

Weir latching onto him and asking him to talk to Sheppard told him how bad she wanted the guy. He promised he’d talk to him and did so once they were back in the chopper. He regretted giving Sheppard an ultimatum, but his attitude had rubbed Jack’s fur the wrong way. When they landed, Sheppard gave him the answer he’d known was coming, which was a yes. The kid had seen the writing on the wall. If he didn’t step through the Gate right now, he’d spend the rest of his career playing taxi driver and Jack saw too much of himself reflected in Sheppard to let that happen.

“Look, I know I pushed ya a bit, but it’s for your own good. You have too much skill to be flying taxi service to a bunch of scientists. I was in a similar position several years ago, looking at the tail end of my career. General Hammond did to me what I’m doing to you. He kicked my ass until I stopped feeling sorry for myself and got back on the horse.” He reached up and slapped Sheppard on the back of his head. “This is me kicking your ass. You’ll have your new orders within the next 48 hours. You’ll be on detached duty to the outpost until the expedition leaves.”

“Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir.”

“Huh, don’t thank me yet. You’ll probably be cursing me after you spend a week with McKay and the rest of his minions playing light switch. But,” he waved his hand at the sky above them, “it’ll all be worth it once you’re out there.”

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

For John, the weeks flew by. He spent so much time in the Chair that he swore it was getting a dent from his butt. When he wasn’t in the chair, he was usually with Miko Kusanagi or McKay activating Ancient devices. He’d decided to play dumb and keep his mouth shut for the time being, but it was hard when Kusanagi and McKay started throwing equations at each other and would get the math wrong. Oh, his fingers itched to correct the white boards, but he refrained. Time enough to make friends later.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Strolling through the halls of Cheyenne Mountain seemed surreal. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined being there. Even Sumner’s disapproval wasn’t enough to dampen his enthusiasm. Standing in the Gate Room waiting for the dialling sequence to start, John wondered whatever happened to that pilot he’d rescued.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Cam released a deep sigh as he trudged through the Stargate. They’d encountered a nest of Lord Yu’s Jaffa and it had taken awhile to clear them out. He was halfway to the infirmary when he noticed how clear the halls were. “Huh, the Expedition left already.”

“Your powers of observation continue to amaze me Cameron Mitchell,” Teal’c said.

“Hey, I’m tired and we’re in safe territory, so give me a break.”

Teal’c moved and Cam found himself against the wall.

“Complacency can get you killed, Mitchell.”

Cam struggled but was unable to break Teal’c’s hold. “Alright big guy, you win. I’ll prop my eyes open a bit more and stay alert.”

“That is all any of us can do.” Teal’c intoned as he released Cam. “And the life you save by doing so may not be your own.”

Later in his quarters, he called up the base locator to find his hazel-eyed savior. He thought he’d seen the guy a couple of times over the last few weeks, but every time he got close he had vanished. By going through the archives, he’d finally gotten the guy’s full name and rank – Major John Sheppard. Last time he looked, which was a couple of months ago and a few days after O’Neill’s visit, Sheppard was still listed as being stationed at McMurdo, but his status was blank. He’d heard Sheppard and O’Neill had a close call with a drone so maybe O’Neill had transferred him to the outpost. If he’d been reassigned, it meant the poor fella was spending most of his time deep in the ice instead of in the sky.

This time, he got a different answer. When he called up McMurdo, he found out that Sheppard was no longer there. He put Sheppard’s info into a full database search and was rewarded with a hit. Sheppard was now listed as being in Colorado at Peterson Air Base. Cam was heartened until he looked at the status block which read E7A. E7 was the status for those that served at the SGC although, in the official documents, it was for deep space telemetry. E7A was new though and had been put in place for the Atlantis Expedition.

Cam cursed. With the possibility of the trip being one way, he might never get to find out if his first impression was the right one or if his gaydar was on the fritz.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Stepping through the wormhole into another galaxy was way beyond cool. Looking down John noticed a series of markings on the floor in front of the Stargate. Based on the splash of the wormhole on Earth, he presumed that the markings delineated a safety zone. The moment he moved beyond the Gate, he felt a hum start in the back of his mind. He paced further in and the lights came on. John paused, startled by the suddenness. Seeing that no one was up top yet checking amongst the shrouded consoles, John headed that direction, McKay a half step behind him. The moment his foot touched the first step of the grand staircase, lights in the steps and in the upper gallery came on. The consoles lit as he neared them, the screens turned on without a touch as if his presence alone was enough. The more things came on, the stronger the hum got until it was like a song or a partially muffled conversation. If he’d had the time to focus on it, John felt he could have made out words.

Alas though, his time grew very constrained. The trip to Athos went well – until the Wraith showed up and stole a bunch of people including Sumner and Teyla. The argument with Weir went as he expected it. The looks McKay started giving him after he computed the possible number of combinations for the six symbols Ford brought back were thoughtful and made John feel like he’d done a trick. Killing Sumner to stop the Wraith Keeper from gaining the location of Earth insured that John would have little free time in the future.

Later that evening, John was standing at the rail looking out at the alien ocean far below, his thoughts drifting, when an image of the pilot he’d rescued demanded his attention. Dark hair, blue eyes, firm jaw, and a mouth that could be serious or laughing in a heartbeat. After handing Mitchell over to the docs at the event site, John hadn’t seen him since, but it was like they shared a connection. If he ever returned to Earth, he’d have to look the guy up and see if the connection existed.

Turning, he drifted away from the merriment and headed for the quarters he’d picked for himself. Many of the others had selected rooms with balconies and he could’ve as well. The room he chose had a beautiful view of the city and was at the end of a side corridor. No one lived near him so he had privacy. The suite wasn’t enormous, but it had a big shower. The shower was his objective at the moment. The door opened with a thought, which was so cool. He tossed his jacket in the corner soon as he stepped through the door with his shirt soon following it.

He stopped to toe his boots off and shimmy out of his trousers and boxers. A detour to his backpack uncovered his toiletries. His liquid soap and bath pouf came out, the rest went on a shelf that extended from the wall at his desire. Another thought had hot water gushing from the shower heads. John stuck a hand in to test it and it was perfect. A whisper of sound at his elbow heralded the opening of a hidden door in the wall. John opened it and found what he presumed were towels. They were thinner than Earth towels but seemed to be very durable, especially to have lasted over 10,000 years.

John stepped into his steaming shower and lost himself in the mechanics of bathing, letting the stress of the last two days flow down the drain with the dirty water. Nothing could rid him of the horror of having shot his CO, but it had been a mercy killing. Sumner had welcomed it; John had seen the approval in his eyes.

Still on edge, John knew he needed release to knock the rough edges off his mood. He leaned back against the warm wall of the shower and took himself in hand. A few strokes and he was hard, but he needed more than touch to get off. He cycled through his usual suspects, but a set of blue eyes and a square jaw kept intruding. Giving in, John visualized the blue eyes, dark crew cut hair, and the large hands. He imagined those firm hands on his cock, stroking him from root to tip then playing with the sensitive slit while fingering his balls, pace quickening to bring him to completion. He opened eyes he hadn’t realized he’d closed as he shot his load and left a pearly trail along the opposite wall.

He cleaned up and shut the shower off. He dried his hair first then the rest of his body. After pulling on an old t-shirt, his boxers and an old pair of sweat pants he curled up on his short bed and dropped off to sleep, memories of blue eyes dancing through his dreams.


	3. Back on Earth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to all of you for the great response! You make me all warm and fuzzy with the kudos and comments.  
> Thanks to DorothyOz for her beta skills. You are awesome!

John stepped through the wormhole with a sigh. They were back on Earth. When the senior staff had been informed that they would have to return to Earth for debriefing, John had panicked. Atlantis was his home and the thought of not returning scared him. He had a feeling that Weir would have something to say about that though. They spent the first day getting settled; debriefing would start on Monday.

The first night John ate in the mess hall, too tired to go further. The next evening he decided to go out for dinner. He needed a distraction. Even with the outstanding job he’d done after taking over as Military Commander, there was still a good chance he’d be kicked to the curb again. His super gene was still superior to anyone else's, so they'd probably keep him for light switch duty. He just hoped the new CO didn't change too much. The procedures that he, Elizabeth, Teyla, Rodney, Radek, and Grodin had worked out had kept them alive. Some know-it-all who thought the Wraith could be fought the same way as the Republican Guard would get a lot of good men killed.

The Marine on duty at the guard post gave him directions to a really excellent restaurant. He hadn't had a great steak or really any steak since they'd left. Sure, they'd found a few critters that were tolerable substitutes, but they were no substitute for real grass fed Midwestern beef.

John made certain he had some cash and his ID in his wallet, his new cell phone, and the keys to a loaner car he’d checked out before heading into the crisp Colorado evening.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Cam paused short of the intersection as he heard a wicked chuckle and lowered voices – voices that sounded like they were up to no good.

“I can’t wait to see that upstart zoomie’s face tomorrow! I tell ya, Larry, those redneck hillbillies at Mort’s Steakhouse are gonna tenderize him. I heard he shot Colonel Sumner in the back. Goddamn fag has no fucking business …”

Cam had heard enough. He thumbed the recorder on his cell phone off as he stepped around the corner and confronted the two Marines in front of him. “Gentlemen.”

“Sir!”

“Which one of Uncle Sam’s Awesome Flyboys did you send to Mort’s? You know that place is on the no-go list.”

The two Marines, both Corporals, looked at Cam with trepidation.

“Let me put it to y’all this way – the first one that tells me gets to keep his stripes.”

One of the Corporals stepped forward. “Sir, it was Mike’s, um … Corporal Jenkins doing.”

“Larry, shut the hell up!”

The first voice didn’t match the one Cam had heard gloating whereas the angry one did so he figured he had the right one. “Corporal Jenkins, who did you send to Mort’s and why?”

“That sick bastard with the hair that sticks up – the one that arrived Tuesday. Heard he shot his CO in the back and was banging his boss and the head scientist.”

The fire in Cam’s blood turned to ice. He was talking about Sheppard. The Atlantis group were the only new arrivals yesterday. The report from Atlantis of that first fateful encounter with the Wraith had been deemed Top Secret, which meant everyone in the Mountain knew it in a matter of hours. Cam tapped his radio. “Security, this is Colonel Mitchell. I need two replacement guards at the checkpoint on level 18 and I need a security escort for Corporal Jenkins.” He listened to the acknowledgment then clicked to the team channel. “Teal’c, I need backup.”

“What is the problem, Mitchell?”

“An asshole with a handful of rumors sent Major Sheppard to one of the blacklisted restaurants and we need to retrieve him before he gets killed. I’m at the checkpoint on 18.”

“I am on my way, Mitchell.”

“I’m coming too, sweet cheeks.”

He’d forgotten about Vala. “Vala, that’s…”

“Very kind of me, I know. That Major Sheppard is yummy and I’d hate to see anything happen to him.” Vala said.

Cam realized he was going to lose. “Fine, make it quick or I’m leaving you.”

“I’m on my way.”

Cam had to admit that having the sassy piece of goods that was Vala Mal Doran along might be a good thing. She could fight, bluff or steal her way out of any situation.

Teal’c and Vala appeared at the same time as the security team. Cam gave the security team their orders, then grabbed his teammates and headed out.

Cam flew through the streets as he attempted to get to the restaurant before Sheppard got pulped. Half a block from the restaurant he knew they were too late. The parking lot was awash in red and blue lights. Cam drove as close as he could before parking in an empty space. A group of uniforms appeared to be taking statements from witnesses off to one side. Cam, Teal’c, and Vala slid from his Mustang and hurried for the cluster of ambulances. A few paces short of the barricade of police cars, two uniformed officers stepped out to meet them.

“Restaurant’s closed.”

“I know. I’m Lieutenant Colonel Cameron Mitchell of the USAF. I’m looking for one of my men, Major John Sheppard.”

“That guy Sheppard’s one of yours?” The cop sounded as incredulous as he looked.

“Yep, he’s one of mine. What happened?”

“Well, from all accounts, your man Sheppard was eating his meal and minding his own business when a group of regulars approached him. Comments were exchanged, then punches. Little Tom over there has a beef against the military.” He pointed at one of the people being tended by the EMT’s, “He threw the first punch and caught your fellow on the jaw. No one can tell us what he did, but the witnesses said next they knew Tom was on the ground nursing a busted arm. That set off his cronies. They landed some blows on your guy, but he put a hurtin’ on them. He took out three more before they managed to gang up on him.”

Cam whistled softly. There was obviously more to Sheppard than met the eye. “Can we see him?”

Officer Perkins nodded. “I’ll escort you over.” He led them along the inner edge of the car barricade to the ambulances and pointed at one where the EMT’s were busy with a patient. “He’s in that one.” Perkins shifted to leave then turned back to Cam. “Do you have a card in case we need more information?”

“Sure, here you go.” Cam handed over one of his cards. “Thanks again, Officer Perkins.”

Cam edged forward, fearful of what condition he’d find Sheppard in. Teal’c and Vala took up positions at his back.

“Leggo of me.  ‘M fine.”

“Sir, you are not fine. You have a dislocated shoulder, sprained wrist, dislocated fingers, cracked ribs, and possibly a concussion.”

“Been there, done that. Tape ‘em up an’ let me go. I don’ wanna go to th’ hospital.”

It took Cam a minute to recognize the first voice as Sheppard's through the slurred words. He could see where this was going and decided to put a stop to it. “Sheppard, let the nice EMTs do their jobs.”

Three sets of eyes turned his direction. Well, two and a half since one side of Sheppard’s face was swollen and dark with bruises.

“Thank you, Mister …?”

“Mitchell, Lieutenant Colonel Cameron Mitchell.” Cam gave the medic a grin. “Does he need to go to the hospital?”

“Yes. He needs to be checked over by a doctor. He could have damaged organs or internal bleeding that I can't detect.”

“Naw, they didn' hi’ hard enough f’r tha’.” Sheppard drawled.

“Your face looks like a side of beef. You're going to get checked.” Cam told him.

“Fine,” Sheppard said and quit fighting.

With him not fighting them, the EMTs had him ready for transport in no time. Deciding to avoid a repeat, Cam made a quick decision and dug his keys out of his pocket. “Here, follow us to the hospital.” Movement caught his eye as he tossed his keys to Teal’c. Sheppard was squirming and trying to reach into his pants pocket on his left side, but the angle was making it difficult. The EMT dipped his fingers in and retrieved a set of keys and handed them to Cam.

Cam looked at the key tag and scanned the parking lot. Sheppard’s borrowed car was two down from his. “Vala, take these. You are to follow Teal’c. No side trips or racing. The car is signed out in Sheppard’s name and you don’t want to get our buddy in trouble.”

Mischief sparkled in Vala’s dark eyes, but she gave Cam a nod. She understood what he was getting at.

The ride to the hospital was nerve-wracking. He was on one side of Sheppard, keeping him calm. The EMTs had questioned his presence, but Cam explained that Sheppard was a member of a top secret operation and could not be left alone. He knew it was going to cause problems at the hospital, but Cam honestly didn’t care.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

John surfaced slowly, the remnants of heavy painkillers trying to pull him under. He blinked his eyes open then slammed them shut with a deep moan as he brought his right arm up to block the light.

“Here Sheppard, let me.” John heard a rustle then the light pressing on his eyes dimmed to near darkness. “Better?”

John convinced his eyes to give it another try. He lowered his arm and blinked them open once again and discovered that he was in a private hospital room. He could barely see out the left one, but he could see enough. A figure loomed at his right side near his hand.

“How are you feeling?”

It took John two tries to answer. “Peachy.” He whispered, his throat dry.

A straw touched his bottom lip. He hadn’t seen the guy move so he figured they had him on some good drugs.

“Thanks.” John waved his right hand at the room and his visitor. “How …?”

“Are you asking how long or how’d I get here? Don’t answer that. In your place, I’d want to know both. You’ve been out a couple of hours. They gave you a sedative while they set your shoulder and taped your ribs, wrist, and fingers. As to how I found you, I overheard the Marine that sent you to that restaurant bragging about it. That place is on our no-go list.”

“I didn’t know.”

“I know you didn’t and so did he. The soon-to-be ex-Corporal heard one of the mangled rumors about you and figured he’d get a little revenge in.”

A cough erupted from John’s throat and he rode it out, his cracked ribs and damaged shoulder making themselves known. The straw once again brushed his lips. John sipped gratefully until the cup was taken away. He squinted up at his still unknown benefactor. Something about the jaw and the eyes … “I know you, don’t I?”

Mystery guy smiled. “We’ve met before, but were never properly introduced. Lieutenant Colonel Cameron Mitchell, USAF and leader of SG-1. You can call me Cam.”

John stared at Cam, recognition dancing on the tip of his tongue. “The polar bear.”

Cam smiled at John. “Yep, the polar bear. It took three surgeries and thirteen months of rehab for me to walk again and regain my active duty status.” Cam glanced down at his hands then back up at John. “Don't take this wrong, but I looked you up. I wanted to know who you were so I could tell you thank you one day. So, thank you.”

John waved his unbandaged hand. “It's nothing. It's what I trained to do; part of it anyway.” At Cam’s quizzical look, John explained. “I flew CSAR in Afghanistan as a Combat Recovery Officer.”

“So how'd you end up in Antarctica?”

“The telling of that tale requires three things: privacy, pizza, and alcohol.”

Cam had opened his mouth to respond when the doctor came in.

“How are you, Mr. Sheppard?” The doctor asked.

John saw the doctor’s hand move and he presumed Cam did as well, but she turned the lights up before either could react. John let out a strangled yelp as he covered his eyes and attempted to roll.

“ _Major_ Sheppard has a nasty headache, doctor, which you just aggravated by turning the lights up.” Cam ground out, his voice calm. “Now, I don't know what they taught you in med school, but my Momma taught me that you don't turn the light on in someone's bedroom without giving a warning first, especially if that person is sick or injured. Now, since you've forgotten common courtesy, you can get another doctor to come in here and discharge Major Sheppard or I'll do it myself.”

The doctor was flabbergasted. “Now listen here, you can't …”

“Yes. I. Can. And good luck getting paid if I do.” He felt Cam reach for the IV and in that instant John fell in love with him.

“Fine. I'll send Dr. Hartman in.”

Only a few minutes passed until the door opened once again. Cam had dimmed the lights, but John still had his arm covering his aching eyes.

“Hello, I’m Doctor Hartman. I’m sorry about Doctor Bates. She’s been warned about her treatment of patients before.”

“Not your place to apologize, Doc,” John said from beneath his arm. “She shoulda known better.”

“Yes, well, enough on that subject. How are you feeling?”

“Like I got beat up.”

Hartman snorted in amusement. “Well, I’ve seen the other guys and you gave better than you got.” John heard paper rustle as the doctor flipped his chart. “I’m going to do a vitals check then I’ll go over your injuries.”

Doctor Hartman was efficient and careful, solicitous of John’s condition. “Your pulse and respirations are acceptable, although your blood pressure’s a bit low. There are no crackles yet, which is also good. Are you having any blurred vision, sparkles or other visual oddities?”

John moved his arm and blinked in the dim light. No doubles, no light streamers, no dots or sparkles made themselves known as he glanced around the room. “Nope, just light sensitive.”

“That’s good and entirely normal.” Scratching on paper as Hartman made notes. “You have a dislocated shoulder, dislocated fingers, a sprained wrist, and a lovely black eye. Fortunately, you managed to avoid a concussion.”

“Fortunately,” John smirked.

A plastic rustle sounded. “Here’s your prescriptions and enough of each medication to get you through the night.” A paper rustle followed. “And these are your discharge papers. I looked at your records so I know this isn’t your first time. Just take it easy. No lifting, running, sparring or other form of intense exercise until the ribs, shoulder, and fingers heal. Do you have someone that can keep an eye on you and help you out?”

John opened his mouth to say no, but Cam beat him to the punch. “He’s my roommate.”

John found his voice. “Um, yeah, what he said.” He figured the doctor would put his hesitation down to the drugs.

Hartman raised the head of the bed and laid a clipboard on John's lap. He pulled out his penlight and an ink pen. He clicked the light on and held it over the papers as he handed the pen to John. “Sign these and you can go.”

John scrawled his signature in the correct spots, his handwriting rough from disuse and drugs.

Hartman tucked John’s copies into the plastic bag with the rest of his stuff. An orderly entered the room with a wheelchair and assisted John into it.

The trip through the hospital was rough, but getting in Cam’s Mustang looked to be an exercise in masochism. John was debating the best and least painful method when a strong arm appeared in his vision.

“Allow me to assist you, Major Sheppard.” The big guy, whose name was Teal’c, said.

John grasped the proffered arm and lowered himself into the Mustang’s leather interior. “Thanks, Teal’c.”

“You are welcome Major Sheppard.” The big alien turned to Cam. “Vala has returned to the Mountain. She stated that she would return Major Sheppard’s car as she wished to spend the rest of the evening with Daniel Jackson. I told her I would be quite cross with her if she were involved in any incidents before her arrival at her destination.”

John caught a glimpse of Cam’s face and had the urge to hope the woman did get into trouble. He had a feeling that watching the two would be entertaining. Cam thanked his big friend and closed his door before hurrying around the car. John allowed himself to relax in the comfort of the Mustang’s comfortable leather seats.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Cam drove carefully, mindful of his passenger. He’d had dislocated shoulders before and knew how excruciating even the littlest bump could be. At his apartment, conscious of getting Sheppard out of his car, he pulled as close to the curb as he could. He let the car idle as he hopped out to assist. Sheppard had the door open and was sitting sideways on the seat. Cam took his good hand and helped him get out of the car. When Sheppard stumbled, Cam pulled him in to lean against his chest.

“I’ve gotcha, buddy. I’ve gotcha.” Feeling brave, Cam rubbed one hand up and down Sheppard’s back to help him center and get a grip on the pain. From the tightness around his mouth and eyes, Cam figured he’d be ready for one of his pain pills by the time they got inside. He steered John over to a light pole. “Will you be alright here while I park?”

Sheppard nodded. Cam made quick work of parking and hurried back to his new friend. After Sheppard had stumbled over his own feet for the second time, Cam drew his good arm over his shoulders and placed a supporting hand on Sheppard’s waist.

Inside, Cam stopped and let Sheppard catch his breath. “Bathroom?”

Sheppard nodded.

“You need any help?”

Cam could see the hesitation in the other man before he nodded again.

“Yeah. Just hold me steady; I can handle the rest.”

Cam did as asked and nobly refrained from taking a peek while Sheppard had his cock out. Business complete, Cam stopped in the hallway, Sheppard leaning into his side.

“Hmm, I was gonna offer you the couch, but I think I'll put you in my bed.”

Sheppard pulled away. “Where are you sleeping then if I'm gonna be in your bed?”

“With you.”

“I, um …”

“Really Sheppard, do I have to spell it out for you?” Cam drawled with amusement as he placed his hands gently on the sides of Sheppard’s face and kissed him on the lips. He felt Sheppard tense in shock then his body relaxed and his lips parted enough for the tip of Cam's tongue to dip in playfully. Fire raced through his veins as John’s joined in and the two wrestled and danced as they got to know each other. Sheppard broke it off when the need to breathe became too great.

“Sheppard, you are delicious.”

“John. After a kiss like that you're damn well gonna call me by name.”


	4. Colorado

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello friends! Happy holidays to all of you!   
> Thanks to all of you for the kudos, bookmarks, and kind comments. My plot kitty is so happy I think he vibrated some of his spots off from purring so hard.
> 
> Thanks to DorothyOz for betaing this story. Her comments have helped make it the story it is.
> 
> Enjoy!

Major General Jack O’Neill looked up at a knock on his door to see Elizabeth Weir peering in. The debriefings about the Atlantis Expedition brought him to Colorado, and he decided to settle in one of the unused offices close to Landry’s and the control room for the duration. This served a double purpose: he could continue his job and be close to Hank in case he needed help. He had just arrived at this very crazy command that was the SGC, and O’Neill expected he needed some help yet.

Jack leaned back in his chair and slipped his glasses off. He needed a break from the paperwork anyway. “Doctor, what can I do for you?”

Elizabeth pointed over her shoulder as she walked in, closing the door behind her. “I just left a meeting with General Landry. He wanted to discuss my new Military Commander. I told him I already had one.”

“Well, I know you and Sheppard had a bit of a rocky start …”

“A rocky start, yes. Not a rocky finish. We would not have survived without John Sheppard. His ability to think outside the box and adapt on the fly to constantly changing situations saved the lives of every man and woman in Atlantis. I’ll admit to being skeptical of his ability to do the job, but he has proven himself to me. Most telling is that every Marine in the city respects him as do most of the scientists.”

Jack leaned forward and rested his elbows on his desk as he steepled his fingers. “That’s certainly a glowing commendation. Who did Hank put forward as the new commander?”

“Colonel Caldwell.”

Jack shook his head. “Colonel Caldwell is an able commander with an excellent record, but from what I know of Pegasus politics, the man is too straight-laced to deal with the rapid shifts. You want to keep Sheppard, I presume?”

“I do. We work well together and I trust him.”

“Fine, he’s all yours.”

Elizabeth leaned forward and Jack knew there was something else on her mind. “Landry brought up John’s rank as one of the marks against him.”

“He’s right about that. Base commanders usually are Lieutenant Colonels or Colonels.” He turned towards the door. “Walter!”

Master Chief Walter Harriman popped through the door with a thick folder in his hands. “Here you are, Sir.”

Jack accepted the folder with a nod. “Thank you, Walter.”

Elizabeth wore a look of bemusement. “How …?”

“I have no idea. He usually knows what I want before I do. I don’t question it.” Jack opened Sheppard’s file and realized that Walter had brought him the non-redacted copy. He inwardly whistled at Sheppard’s accomplishments. He noticed that he was, like himself, former black ops. That revelation explained a lot. “He’s within zone, and there’s nothing here that would disqualify him from being promoted. I’ll draw up the papers and send them to President Hayes.”

“Thank you. He’ll be happy to hear that.”

“Don’t tell him. I want it to be a surprise. And, Elizabeth, just in case someone else wants to fight you on this, talk to Hayes yourself. I’ll do it, but he’ll be more moved if we join forces.”

“Will do. Thanks, General.” Elizabeth smiled on her way out safe in the knowledge that O’Neill wanted John as the Military Commander of Atlantis. She knew him well enough to know he wouldn’t have agreed so readily if not. Therefore, she had his full support. She’d do her part, but she had already won.

After Weir had left, Walter returned with a much thinner folder. “Here are the forms you’ll need, Sir. Will there be anything else?”

“No, thank you, Walter.”

Jack filled in the forms and noted that Walter had taken the liberty to fill in much of the routine information for him. When finished, Jack sealed the folder in an envelope and placed it in a courier pouch to go out the next morning.

After a quick trip to the bathroom, Jack ambled down the hall to Landry’s office and rapped on the door. “Hank, got a minute?”

“Sure, Jack, come on in.”

Jack walked in and shut the door before taking a seat facing the other General. “I’m going to be succinct. What were you thinking of when you threw Caldwell’s name into the ring to take Sumner’s place?”

“Steven Caldwell is an excellent officer.”

“Did you want Sheppard to have to kill another commanding officer?”

“Excuse me?”

“Caldwell is too much by-the-book to survive long-term in Atlantis. He knows air combat, but he has no idea how to run a ground campaign against guerilla tactics. Did you even read Sheppard’s file?”

“I know he disobeyed orders in Afghanistan to rescue a downed flight crew.”

“He disobeyed orders because his CO withheld the order for a rescue until after Sheppard left the base. He didn’t even acknowledge receipt of the order until after Sheppard got shot down then he deemed it too costly to try to retrieve Sheppard and the other flight crew. The only reason Sheppard didn’t get a medal was that he came back with a corpse. Captain Jared Holland’s flight crew was killed in the crash. Holland survived but was severely injured. It took Sheppard three days to walk out of the desert with Holland’s body. When Sheppard returned alive, his CO brought him up on charges. His JAG lawyer got him the transfer to McMurdo because he left without orders, but his CO was asked to retire because if he hadn’t withheld the orders, Sheppard would’ve had a full crew and he’d have been able to avoid the fire that took out his chopper.”

“What does that have to do with his fitness to command?” Landry asked with a frown.

“Sheppard is former black ops.”

Jack waited while Hank worked through the ramifications of that statement. Special Operations recruited “free thinkers” for black ops. Once given a set of mission parameters, it was up to the operative or team as to how they accomplished it. They often had little intel and frequently had to plan on the fly.

“I see,” Landry said slowly. “And you think this makes him a better fit for command of Atlantis than Caldwell?”

“I do. I see so much of myself in him it’s scary. He made the decisions I’d have made if I’d been there.”

“Fine. I’ll support Sheppard for Atlantis.”

Jack rose to leave then stopped and turned back. “Oh, and Hank, I know you’re trying to do what you feel is best, but you’re the new kid on the block when it comes to the SGC. Next time, check with me first. Atlantis is way too big to screw up. I want regular updates, and to be consulted for big decisions. Choosing who will be the city’s Military Commander is a big decision. I’m the one the President’s gonna yell at, so I might as well be the guilty one.”

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Lieutenant Colonel Samantha Carter hurried through the halls of the SGC. They had a missing man and the Mountain resembled a kicked anthill. It was bad enough when any of their people went missing, but when the missing man was the strongest ATA carrier to date as well as being Atlantis’ Military Commander for the past year and a heavy combat asset, the worry and suspicion multiplied by a factor of ten.

She'd just left the infirmary after checking the records for any mention of the man. Cam’s name was on the call out log, but no reason had been given. She decided to go see him after she updated Jack and General Landry.

She knocked twice before entering the conference room where Jack and Landry had set up shop. Both men gave her a nod as she entered and took a seat.

“Sam, what were you able to find out?” Jack asked.

Sam grimaced as she sat down. “Well, the car he checked out is in the motor pool. The Sergeant who checked it in forgot to log who returned it. I checked the security feeds, but it seems there was a roving glitch in the system last night and it hit the cameras in that area at that particular time.” She leaned forward and flipped through the folder she’d brought. “I did find out Sheppard was headed for a restaurant called Mort’s.”

Landry frowned. “Isn’t Mort’s on the no-go list?”

Sam nodded. “I checked. The Marine on duty when Sheppard signed out, Corporal Mike Jenkins, recommended it. Mitchell overheard him bragging about it to another Marine. He had the Corporal taken into custody and filed a preliminary report.”

At that moment, Elizabeth Weir opened the door and marched in.

“Gentlemen, Colonel Carter, where is my Military Commander?”

“We don’t know yet, but we’re looking for him,” Landry stated.

“I’m sure I don’t need to remind any of you of his importance.” She swiveled to face Landry. “When I first started recruiting for the Atlantis Expedition, I was told that if I wanted someone particular that I should go after them. I did so and have been very pleased with that advice. I would have ordered a helicopter be disassembled and taken through the Stargate if that had been Major Sheppard’s price.”

She poured herself a cup of coffee while using her commanding voice to reveal her conversation with the President. “I had a pleasant talk with the President yesterday and he has no problem with Major Sheppard remaining as my Military Commander. He felt that it would cause confusion within the chain of command to place someone else in the position while the Major was still in the city.” She sat down and portraying a calm exterior, she took a sip of coffee.

“I also looked up Colonel Caldwell’s service record. While he is a good commander with excellent organizational skills, he is too regimented and has no experience with leading ground troops. Sheppard served in Special Operations Command, plus he has earned the respect of every Marine currently on Atlantis, including those that came with Colonel Everett. General O’Neill assured me yesterday that John is eligible for a promotion to Lieutenant Colonel.” Elizabeth was looking pointedly at Landry, she wanted to make sure the man understood that she got what she wanted.

Landry nodded knowing when he had been defeated. Jack had been clear last night, Sheppard was going to be promoted and he was going to be the Military Commander of Atlantis whatever he liked it or not. He turned to Jack before he spoke. “I’m sure you already know this, Jack, but I’ll tell you anyway. I had Walter check in case the wind blew this way. He’s within zone.”

Jack nodded. “I know. I sent the paperwork yesterday.”

Elizabeth smiled grateful to end this dispute, and shifted to face Sam. “Where are we in the search?”

Sam covered her findings again then got to the new stuff. “As I was about to add, the Marine who was with Corporal Jenkins, Corporal Larry Wilcox, told me that Mitchell called Teal’c and asked him to go with him. I also checked the infirmary records and Mitchell is listed as having called in sick, but there’s no other documentation.”

“That’s strange.” Landry mused. “Were there any technical difficulties in the infirmary last night?”

“None that were reported,” Sam said. “I’d like to go check on Mitchell. I know he can be rather abrupt, but he does follow rules.”

“For the most part,” Jack smirked. “Check on Mitchell. See what he knows about Sheppard and report back.”

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Cam woke to the sound of his phone ringing. He grumbled a few choice expletives aimed at people who thought everyone had to be awake before 0900 as he fumbled on his nightstand for it before realizing it was in his pants’ pocket. He glanced over at his new roomie and smiled as he slid from the bed to answer it. Getting John into bed had been an exercise in patience. He had a ridiculously high pain tolerance but had been unable to relax until Cam made him take two of his pain pills along with the muscle relaxant. John had protested, but Cam had overridden him by reminding John that he was off duty for the next few days and could sleep without worrying about Wraith attacks.

John had taken the pills and once they kicked in it was easier for Cam to get him stripped down to t-shirt and boxer briefs. Making him a nest of pillows that would support his shoulder and ribs had been a bit challenging until Cam remembered the big roll pillow that Vala had brought over. Once he incorporated that, the mound gained stability.

The phone went silent soon as he touched it so he took a moment to get a good look at John. He was still propped up on the pillows asleep; his body slack in the way of good drugs. His dark head was turned towards the wall, left arm still in a sling, right hand on the bed. Cam groaned as he imagined those long fingers stroking his … His musings were interrupted by his phone ringing again. Cam shot John a look of longing before he slipped from the room and pulled the door closed behind him.

“Cam?”

“Sam, why are you calling me at 0730 in the morning?” Cam asked irritation pairing with the lingering sleepiness in his voice.

“I need you here. Jack wants you to get a check-up and I need to ask you a few things.” Sam said.

“Can’t it wait? I had a check-up two days ago.”

“Nope, sorry. It’s urgent.” Sam replied.

“What did you need to ask me?” Cam asked, anxious not to leave John alone.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll see you when you get here.”

“Fine, I’ll get some clothes on and …”

“How you are is fine.”

Cam was about to protest when his world went white.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

John woke to Nature’s call. The pain in his shoulder and ribs threatened to steal his breath as he gamely tried to sit up. It took a couple of tries, but he was eventually successful. He peered around, but Cam was nowhere in sight. A pain-tinged chuckle escaped. He’d told Rodney that he never saw it coming when someone made a pass at him, but he’d meant from women. Guys were usually a bit more blatant, but his Spidey sense had severely dropped the ball concerning Cam Mitchell. He had no idea how this was going to play out, but he was tired of bathroom blowjobs and anonymous liaisons.

John grunted as he gained his feet, his balance wobbling for a moment. He made his way to the door and paused to listen. The apartment was silent except for the mechanical whir of the air conditioner and a refrigerator. He eased the door open and staggered to the bathroom to take care of business. As he washed his hand, John peered down at his strapped arm with the taped wrist and fingers poking from the end. He had no idea how he managed to get all of his injuries on one side. It was fortunate, though, because he could at least care for himself when it came to basics. A glance at the mirror confirmed the state of his face, not that he hadn’t had an idea anyway since he could barely see out his left eye. Ah well, his beard would just have to grow. He might be able to shave by Monday when the debriefings were scheduled to begin, but he wasn’t placing any bets on it.

John debated about going back to bed, but he was hungrier than sleepy so decided to see what Cam has in his fridge. He trudged into the kitchen and balanced against the door frame for a moment as his balance wavered then moved towards the refrigerator in the corner. As he rounded the island occupying the center of the kitchen, John’s foot landed on a sales flyer that had slipped off the countertop. The slick paper slid under his unsteady feet and John felt himself falling. Using what little grace he had left, John managed to twist and avoid landing on his bad shoulder. His head hit the floor and bounced, the crazy ketchup stain on the ceiling the last thing John saw before darkness swept in and stole his vision.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Cam was livid as he was beamed back to his apartment along with Sam and Daniel.

He’d been beamed straight to the infirmary and Doctor Campbell insisted on performing the check-up he didn’t need before she would let him even speak to Sam or anyone else. He submitted with ill grace and refused to answer her questions with anything more than curt yes or no answers. She kept giving him odd looks, but she finally released him almost an hour later with a clean bill of health.

By this time, Cam’s temper had reached volcanic proportions. He stormed into the conference room where Sam was waiting on him with Doctor Weir, O’Neill, and Landry wearing the scrubs he’d been given in the infirmary.

“Why the hell did you just fucking kidnap me from my apartment?”

Sam leaned back in surprise. “Because you were on the sick list and because you were the last person to possibly see Major Sheppard.”

“So that’s a reason to have me beamed from my apartment to the infirmary in my underwear, and be forced to submit to an exam from Doctor Campbell when I could have answered your questions over the damn phone?” Cam was so mad he was spitting.

“I’m sorry that you were inconvenienced, but it’s imperative we find Major Sheppard.” Elizabeth Weir inserted calmly.

Cam sat down, his initial anger spent while the rest seethed below the surface. “If you had asked me that an hour ago instead of wasting my time you’d already know.”

Four sets of eyes swiveled his direction.

“Where is he, son?” Landry asked.

“He’s at my apartment, asleep in my bed.” Cam said.

“Well, crap.” O’Neill shot a look down the table at Sam. “Why didn’t you say so?”

“Because I wasn’t given a chance to do so.” Cam said while glaring at Sam. He liked her and liked having her along on missions, but sometimes she lost focus when dealing with people.

“Before we get back to Major Sheppard, why were you on the sick list?” Landry asked. “According to Doctor Campbell’s report there’s nothing wrong with you.”

“I didn’t call for myself. I called for J… Sheppard.” Cam replied. “One of the Marines, Corporal Mike Jenkins, thought he’d let a bunch of military-hating rednecks get their licks in because of Sumner’s death. He sent Sheppard to Mort’s knowing the place was on the no-go list. I found out and took Teal’c and Vala with me. Sometime during the course of his meal, Sheppard was accosted by a group of regulars, one of whom threw the first punch. Sheppard sent five of them to the hospital with broken bones. I almost had to force Sheppard go to the hospital to get his own injuries treated.”

“How badly is John injured?” Weir asked.

Cam filed that away. John didn’t strike him as the type to sleep his way to the top, but the first name basis meant he had a good relation with his boss. “He has a dislocated left shoulder along with three fingers, three cracked ribs, and a sprained wrist. I drove him to my place and slept with him.”

At the looks he received, Cam thought about what he’d said. “Um, we shared a bed. The doc at the hospital gave him some strong painkillers and I didn’t want him impersonating a drunk goose and hurting himself further.”

Landry shook his head and Jack looked thoughtful.

“Now, if there’s nothing else, I’d like to get back to my guest. My Momma always said it’s rude to ignore your guests while you play with someone else.”

As they’d prepared to leave, Daniel had wandered in and volunteered to come along.

As soon as the afterimages faded, Cam headed for his bedroom, Daniel and Sam on his heels. Cam felt Daniel draw up when he came to a dead stop in the doorway. “He’s not here.”

Sam darted to the front door while Cam checked the bathroom.

“The door was still locked and there’s no sign of him outside,” Sam called.

“He’s not in the spare bedroom either,” Daniel said as he walked out dusting his hands off.

Cam stilled, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. John could not have gotten far. He could be behind some of the furniture or in the back of a closet. He opened his eyes and glanced into his kitchen – the one room they hadn’t checked yet. A shiny piece of paper drew his gaze towards a pale spot on the floor.

“John!”

Cam scrambled into the kitchen and dropped to his knees beside John. Cam breathed a sigh of relief as he checked John’s pulse. He was unconscious, lying partially on his back. Cam looked up at Daniel, who had joined him at John’s side, and at Sam hovering in the doorway. “We need to get him to the Mountain and have him checked.”

Sam left the room to call for beaming. Daniel rose and left as well, leaving Cam kneeling on the floor at John’s head.

Sam walked back in a moment later holding the quilt he kept folded on the couch. “Here, it’s going to be several minutes. They’re installing a critical piece of hardware aboard Apollo and had to take the beaming mechanism offline.”

Cam shook the quilt out and covered John with it. He was breathing okay so Cam was loath to move him as he had no idea how badly he could be hurt.

Footsteps sounded and Daniel traipsed back into the kitchen with an armload of cloth which he shoved into Cam’s arms. “Get dressed. You’ll feel better.”

“Cam, I want to apologize,” Sam said. “You were right – I should’ve talked to you this morning instead of simply having you beamed out.”

“Yes, you should have,” Cam answered. “I’m also not the only one you need to apologize to.”

Cam saw her nod in agreement. “I’ll do that as soon as he wakes up.”

Cam stood and changed right in the kitchen. He had nothing to hide from anyone present. Sam and Daniel had seen all of his various parts over the course of the last year during various missions gone wrong. John hadn’t yet, but he would eventually. The kiss last night proved it.

The tingle of the Asgard transport beam was welcome, as was the sight of the SGC’s infirmary.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Pain assaulted John as he opened his eyes. He glanced around the darkened room as best he could without moving his head. The feel of the bed beneath him and the smells told him he was in an infirmary or hospital. Fabric rustled nearby and John hissed in pain as he tried to turn his head to find the source. A spoon touched his lips and he opened for the ice chips to slide in.

“Don’t try to talk yet, lad.” Carson. John sagged in relief at having someone he knew and trusted nearby. “You’ve been out six hours.” Carson knew him too well. “You’ve quite the knot on the back of your noggin, but you managed to avoid re-injuring that shoulder. You gave Elizabeth an’ the rest of us quite a scare. No one knew where you were.”

“Sorry,” John said softly.

“Aye, we know you didna mean it,” Carson said.

“Cam?”

“Cam?” John could hear the confusion in Carson’s voice. “Oh, Colonel Mitchell. He’s currently in the gym sparring with Teal’c. He’s been by your side since you were brought in. I made him take a break an hour ago.”

“Oh.”

“How are ye feelin’, John?”

“Tired. Sore.”

Carson chuckled. “If yer admittin’ to sore, then anyone else would be beggin’ for the good stuff.”

John started to roll his eyes at the Scot then thought better of it. “I didn’t say I’d turn them down.”

Cloth rustled again as Carson stepped to the door and flagged a nurse down.

“Doctor Lam was a mite hesitant about allowin’ any of us to sit with you,” Carson said. John could hear the smile in his voice. “Her tune changed when Elizabeth mentioned that you had a tendency to hit first and wake later around strange people. She walked away muttering and shaking her head.”

Carson turned and accepted a syringe from the nurse who’d just entered. He dumped the contents into John’s IV and dropped the spent needle into the sharps bin. “Get some rest, lad.”

John could feel lethargy creeping up on him. “Wanna see Cam.”

“You can see him when you wake up.”

John’s eyes slid closed before he could say more.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Cam was at his side when John woke the second time.

“Hey, Sleeping Beauty decides to wake. Too bad I’m not a Prince.”

“You are to me,” John said softly.

Cam leaned over and kissed him gently. John sank into the kiss, soaking up everything it offered and more before reality asserted itself once more.

“Cam, we can’t.”

“Can’t what? Kiss?” Cam reared back and stared at John. “After last night I thought we were on the same page.”

“We are, but our careers …”

Cam placed a finger against John’s lips. “Those rules don’t apply to either of us. General Hammond scrapped those years ago when he realized that most of the races we deal with are more … enlightened about that than we are. Hammond started the process of clearing house and O’Neill has continued it. The SGC has a zero-tolerance policy regarding hate crimes and bigotry.”

“That’s not gonna do me any good once I’m no longer part of the SGC. I guess the brass are being nice and are gonna wait ‘til they have a new commander picked out.” John said morosely. He pressed the button to raise his bed enough to be able to talk with Cam while looking at him properly.

Cam snorted. “From what I understand, you’re the strongest gene carrier they’ve found so far. O’Neill may be many things, but stupid he is not. He is not gonna leave his prize stallion at home on race day.”

John smiled which made his lip ache, but he figured it was worth it. “I’m bad at relationships.”

“Join the club. I’ve had two serious relationships, but pretending got to be too much. I’m still friends with both, but we know nothing serious is gonna come of it.” Cam said.

“I was married. Got married shortly after Flight School while I was stationed in DC. We dated for six months. It was the only decision I ever made that my Dad agreed with. We divorced four years later.”

“What happened?” Cam asked. John would have slugged him if he’d heard an ounce of sympathy, but Cam’s voice was tinged with curiosity.

“I’m bi. Figured marriage might get my Dad off my back about joining the Air Force. Nancy and I had an agreement – if she got pregnant I’d either get stationed Stateside or resign my commission and go to work for my father.”

“Well, that certainly didn’t happen.”

“Nope.” John had to close his eyes for a moment and gather his control. He hadn’t told anyone this story in a long time and he’d forgotten how much it hurt. “Right before my term of service was up, she told me she had spoken to my Dad and had everything arranged. All she needed was a date to give him for when I was going to start to work.”

John stopped as the lump in his throat grew. A straw appeared in his field of view and he flashed Cam a grateful smile. After several sips, he pulled away and Cam set the glass down. “I was home every three or four months between missions. Whenever I was home, we went at it like bunnies, so I asked her when she was due, figuring she had kept the news as a surprise for me.”

John clamped down on the tears that threatened to fall. God, he’d forgotten how much this part hurt. A large, calloused hand enveloped his good one, offering comfort and support. “I got a surprise alright. She told me she’d been using the pill and other forms of birth control since we started dating. Said her career was finally getting somewhere and she couldn’t afford to take time off to have a child even though the deal had been her idea.”

“That … bitch.” Cam growled from his side.

“That’s not all.” A broken chuckle escaped John’s control as he shifted enough to see Cam’s face. “She claimed that I didn’t love her enough because I wouldn’t tell her what I did when I was on missions. I tried to tell her I couldn’t, but she never believed me.”

“Are you telling me you were …” Cam asked.

“I was tapped for Special Operations when they noticed I could fly anything I could get seat time in. I even got to train to fly an Osprey.”

Cam whistled. “That is no mean feat. I heard one guy who’d trained to pilot one describe it as trying to wrestle two greased pigs at the same time.”

John laughed at the image then clutched at his shoulder. “Ow.”

“So, the divorce?” Cam asked.

“We slept in separate beds that night after she told me to choose. While she was at work the next day, I made my choice. I put my stuff in storage, went surfing for a week, then canceled the rest of my leave and reported back to base. The papers were waiting when I got back from a mission five months later. There was also a cashier’s check from my lawyer. He did some digging and discovered that she had opened a joint account that I didn’t know about after we were married where she had been tucking a sizable amount of my pay. When he confronted her about it in court, she admitted to having a male friend impersonate me, but she also tried to say it wasn’t joint property because I hadn’t signed the papers.” John coughed and Cam held the glass for him.

“In exchange for keeping her record clear, she had to hand over the entire contents of the account. She also had to quit fighting the prenup she insisted we have.”

Cam laughed. “So she screwed herself. Priceless.” The hand that had been gripping his moved to caress his cheek and Cam’s voice sobered. “I’m not her. I’m not looking for a quickie or to be fuck buddies. I’m looking for something serious, and I want to give us a try.”

John rubbed his face to regain some composure. “Me too. I’m tired of quickies and oh-god-we’re-still-alive blowjobs. Not that there’s anything wrong with those, but …”

“But you want the whole package.” Cam filled in.

John yawned. “Yeah.”

“Get some rest, Sleeping Beauty.”

John bit his lip as he held an internal debate. “I’m sorry, Cam, I’m not usually this much of a mess.”

“I figured.” Cam sat on the edge of John’s bed then leaned forward and wrapped him in a careful hug then started rubbing his back.

John leaned forward enough to rest his head on Cam’s shoulder. “Mmmm.”

Cam shifted as if to leave and John grabbed his hand. “Stay, please?”

Cam stared deep into his eyes then nodded and helped John shift enough so Cam could share the bed, and got it back into a horizontal position so he could rest properly. John fell asleep with his head on Cam’s shoulder, his bad shoulder propped up by a pillow, while Cam held him tightly.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Carson and Elizabeth had met in the cafeteria and decided to check on John. Rodney had breezed through and asked after his friend. Once he was assured that Carson would be checking on him, Rodney filled his giant travel thermos and headed back to the labs.

Carson led the way once they were in the infirmary as he was John’s doctor of record and less likely to be stopped by a curious nurse. He came to a dead stop in the doorway to John’s room then started chuckling. “Good for you, lad.”

Elizabeth, surprised at the actions of the doctor, shifted to see better and let out a gasp.

The light from the main infirmary spilled through the door to reveal the two men snuggled together on the bed – John with his head pillowed on Mitchell’s chest, Mitchell with his arms wrapped around John in a careful embrace.

Carson chivvied Elizabeth back and pulled the door closed. He looked back as they walked towards the door. “Good for you, lads, good for you.” 

 


	5. Rocky Mountain High

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi again! Thanks to all of you that have made this story such a success. I appreciate the kudos and love the comments so keep 'em coming!
> 
> Special thanks to DorothyOz for betaing this. Her muse has even been inspired to stick in tidbits occasionally. You are awesome!  
> Now, on with our story ...

Vala was irritated. Her team leader was not in any of his usual haunts when he was in the Mountain. She stopped dead in the corridor as a thought occurred to her and she turned for the infirmary. Cameron had been rather solicitous of that yummy Major Sheppard, more than would normally be proper considering they were strangers. Unless they were soul bound. That would explain the immediate comfort level between the two men. She knew Cameron was friendly, but not usually that close to someone he’d just met.

Several corridors from the infirmary, a memory slapped her and Vala detoured to her quarters to pick up her healing device. She had taken a deep breath before she entered the infirmary. The room always seemed too cold and impersonal to her. It was no wonder that many of the personnel preferred to recover in their quarters. Looking around, she found a nurse she was friends with.

“Marion, have you seen Cameron?”

Marion gave her a blank look for a moment. “Oh, Colonel Mitchell? Last I saw he was with Major Sheppard in room 6.” She started to walk away but turned back. “If the Major’s awake, don’t hold the door open; he was light sensitive yesterday.”

Vala thanked her then headed for the isolation rooms. Outside room 6, she paused to listen before opening the door. The only sounds that met her ears were the sounds of light breathing. She eased the door open and slipped in, closing it quietly behind her. The sight before her was charming and confirmed her earlier supposition. Cameron was on his back, a pillow on his chest, one arm beneath Sheppard while the other held him close. The Major lay on his right side, his head snuggled into the crook of Cameron’s neck while his injured left arm rested on the pillow on Cameron’s chest.

“If you’re thinking of stealing him, I’ll have to fight you, Vala.” Cameron’s sleepy voice came from the darkness.

“No, I merely wished for a camera. The two of you are adorable.”

“Do it an’ I’ll have Rodney write a program to make your life hell. He enjoys doing stuff like that to people who mess with his friends.”

Sheppard’s voice was muffled from his position against Cameron’s neck.

Vala chuckled. “Are you certain? I’ll cut you in for a percentage of the profits.”

Sheppard let out a yawn. “Nope, not interested. D’you need somethin’ or can I get back to my nap?”

“No, I came with an offer. I was going to run it past Cameron first, but seeing as we are all here together, I’ll pitch it to both of you.”

“B’fore you start, can you turn the lights up a bit? I like to see the people who are offering me deals.” Sheppard said.

Vala did as asked. She watched Sheppard and when he winced, she dimmed the lights until she found his comfort level. Sheppard shifted against Cameron until he could see her.

Vala pulled out the healing device. “My offer is this – I came to heal you.”

Sheppard oozed skepticism. “With a Halloween decoration?”

“John, Vala was once host to a Goa’uld. This means that she can use their devices.” Cameron said. “If she’s offering to heal you, I’d take her up on it.”

Vala felt exposed as Sheppard fixed his gaze on her. She stared back, allowing him to see whatever he was looking for.

“Okay, say I agree. What’s involved?” Sheppard said.

“Well, sweetness, you just lie there and look cute. Cameron will have to move though. You may feel a minor burning sensation as it fixes the damaged tissues. It will make you sleepy, but when you wake up you’ll feel better.” Vala announced.

“Cam?”

“Like I said, I’d do it. She’ll have you right as rain in no time.” Cameron told him.

“Okay, let’s do this.”

Cameron and Vala helped John lay flat on the bed. Cameron braced his injured shoulder with a pillow after they eased the sling off. Vala slipped the healing device onto her left hand and stood on Sheppard’s left side. “Relax, sweetie, and let me help you.”

Sheppard looked up at her, curiosity in his hazel eyes. “One question – why?”

Vala smiled and brushed his hair back. “Because you obviously mean a great deal to Cameron and because I hate to see anyone so pretty in so much pain.”

Sheppard groaned. “Pretty? Oh, god, kill me now.”

“If I were still a god, I’d totally steal you from Cameron. All the other gods would be jealous.” Vala winked at him.

Vala held her hand out over Sheppard’s shoulder. The damage was extensive. He would have weeks of healing ahead without this. She focused her will through the crystal in her palm, willing the healing mechanism to work. Sheppard let out a gasp but stayed still as the energies coursed through the damaged joint. Her work finished in that area, she moved down the arm to his wrist and fingers and released the energies to wash the hurts away before doing the same to his ribs and face.

The door flew open as Vala finished. Doctor Lam stood framed in the opening. “What is going on in here?”

At that moment, the drain of using the healing device crashed on Vala and the world went black.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Cam was astounded when Vala walked in and offered to heal John. He could read the hesitance in John’s tense frame and understood its source. Unlike himself, John had had much less time to adjust to stepping through the Stargate and even less time to wrap his head around the knowledge that the universe was a big place.

He trusted Vala, but he wanted the final decision to be John’s. If they were going to have a relationship, they would see a lot of each other’s teams and they all needed to get along.

Cam could tell the healing was taking a lot out of Vala, but she held nothing back. She started with the worst injury and ended with the least. When she finished, John’s face was free of the dark bruise and pain lines and as gorgeous as the first time he saw him. Having been the recipient of a healing, Cam had moved to stand behind her in case she fell when Lam burst into John’s room. His attention split at the vital moment and he almost missed Vala as she went limp.

“Well, Colonel Mitchell, care to explain?” Lam asked, her tone rather snippy.

“Vala offered to heal Major Sheppard of his injuries.”

“And you didn’t think I needed to be included in the decision?” Lam’s tone dripped disdain.

“No, I didn’t. The device has been studied and is safe for use.” Cam sighed and offered an olive branch. “Look, I know you have your patients’ best interests at heart, but your presence would have been a distraction. The device takes a lot of concentration and it’s best if there are very few people around. Now, if it makes you happy, you can give Major Sheppard a check-up then you can sign his release papers and put him back on active duty.”

“This is my infirmary and I’ll decide when he gets released,” Lam stated.

“I can always call O’Neill, Landry, and Doctor Beckett. I’m confident they’d be thrilled to find that you’re interfering in Major Sheppard’s performance of his duties.”

“Fine.” Lam took a deep breath. “Take Ms. Mal Doran to her quarters. By the time you get back, I’ll have Major Sheppard’s exam done.”

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

John woke feeling better than he had in … longer than he could remember.  He sat up and stretched then remembered he shouldn’t as he reached full extension. A masculine chuckle startled him and his eyes popped open.

“Glad to see you’re feeling chipper.” Cam drawled.

“Oh, man, she is awesome.” John smiled as Cam moved to sit beside him on the bed. “I wonder what I’d have to bribe her with to get her to come to Atlantis.”

“She’d go free of charge, but she’d sell the city out from under you in a month, plus she’s a member of my team and I don’t look kindly on poachers.” Cam said.

“Hmm, good point. I’d feel the same way if you tried to steal Teyla although she’d just kick your ass.”

“Look we need to talk, and this is not the place to do it.” Cam said. “I’ve got quarters here, but I happen to know that the guest quarters are much nicer.”

John gave him a half smile. “Yeah, they are pretty nice.”

“C’mon then, cause don’t take this wrong, but you stink.” Cam smiled to take the sting out of the tease.

John raised an arm and sniffed. “Yeah, I am pretty ripe. Sponge baths are okay, but nothing beats a long, hot shower.”

“Well, get a move on it then!” Cam pushed John out the door and the pair chuckled as they sauntered through the halls. They garnered a lot of attention simply by being together. John was pretty oblivious to the attention, but occasionally Cam leaned in and kissed him. Not that John was about to complain. His butterflies had butterflies and he half expected to feel handcuffs at any moment, but Cam was relaxed so John told his nerves to chill out.

John finally relaxed once they were in his quarters with a locked door between them and everyone else. John stripped the scrub top off and tossed it towards the laundry basket in the corner. The scrub pants followed. He could feel the heat of Cam’s gaze on his skin.

John ducked his head and rubbed his neck. “Um, I want to apologize. I usually have better control than I did last night. I don’t normally spill crap like that on people I barely know.”

“You have nothing to be sorry about.” Cam shifted and bumped shoulders with John. “I figured. But we need to be open and honest if we’re gonna make this relationship work.”

John grimaced. “You’re not gonna push me to talk about my feelings are you?”

“Hell no! My Momma didn’t raise no fool. I would like to get laid sometime in my lifetime.”

John clasped his hands in his lap to still them. “I was raised to hide my emotions. My father said it was shameful for a man to show emotion.”

Cam raised an eyebrow.  “Then how the heck did he ever get your mother to marry him?”

“She told me he wasn’t always so fixated on what he considered proper behavior. That came with his success. She always told me it was okay to show how I felt.”

Cam reached over and laid a hand over John’s. “Your Mom sounds like my kind of person. When can I meet her?”

“She passed away while I was in college. Her and my Dad divorced just before I started high school. He married his personal assistant, but that didn’t last long. He expected her to be at his side for meetings and social functions while she wanted to travel the world.”

John took a deep breath. The base was not his chosen place to do this, but he felt he should do it now while his courage was up. “About us…”

“You’re not getting rid of me already are you?” Cam asked.

“No, I’m … this is gonna be hard on me. I’ve hidden what I am most of my life. I don’t want to make things difficult for you here.”

Cam reached up and turned John to face him. “That’s not going to happen. Remember, the SGC has a zero-tolerance policy on that kind of crap, and my team is not going to care. You’ll see. Shield mates are common among the Jaffa and I’m pretty sure they are among Vala’s people too.”

“I don’t want you to be my dirty secret.”

“I won’t be. You don’t have to hide anymore, John.” Cam kissed him gently. “We don’t have to crow at the top of our lungs, but we don’t have to hide.” He stood and pulled John with him. “Doctor Lam has released you and you are back on active duty as of tomorrow.”

A look of distaste crossed John’s face. “Just in time for the debriefings which start Monday. I wonder if they’ve made a decision as to my replacement yet.’

“I wouldn’t worry about it. Without you, Atlantis would not still be standing.”

“But I woke the Wraith fifty years early.”

“Pfft. Daniel and Vala alerted the Ori to our presence, and boy, those Priors are tough motherfuckers. At least you can shoot a Wraith and kill it. The Priors have funky powers, you can’t shoot them.”

“We found that head shots are particularly effective against Wraith. They may be able to regenerate, but not with lead in their brains. Which reminds me, I want to go gun shopping.”

“Why, a Beretta not good enough?” Cam asked.

“It works, but I’d rather have something with more stopping power.”

“Let’s get you cleaned up and dressed then we’ll get out, eat and shop.”

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Thirty minutes later, John and Cam were headed to the garage. Cam lead the way to his Mustang then tossed John the keys.

John smiled and was in the driver’s seat before Cam blinked. He enjoyed being behind the wheel again. He’d probably feel different if they were in New York or one of the other big cities, but Colorado Springs was just right. They hit an excellent sub shop Cam frequented then raided the mall. Clothes shopping was first. John bought jeans, underwear, socks, shirts, sneakers, track pants, and some other pieces he needed. They browsed some of the other stores and picked up other things John needed. Finished at the mall, they stopped at a Books a Million and carried out several bags. Their next stop was Best Buy. John grabbed a cart and indicated that Cam should as well. They started in the video games and soon had one of the carts half full before heading to the movies. He finished the one cart, filled the second, and began a third as he worked through the movies and TV shows.

Cam stood back and watched as John rooted through the discount bin. “You’re not gonna watch all these yourself, are you?”

John snorted without lifting his head. “Not hardly. Remember, I have Marines, Airmen, and scientists with a lot of varied tastes. Plus, it’s not like we can go to the mall whenever we want.”

“I’d be glad to shop for you.”

John raised his head and stared at Cam. “Really?”

“Yep. Least I can do for my roomie. Speaking of which, can I leave you here for a bit? I need to run a small errand.”

John waved him off. “That’s fine. I still have plenty to look at.”

Cam hopped in the car and headed for Home Depot. He had a set of keys made for his apartment and for the car. He hoped it would show John how serious he was.

Cam returned to pick up John and found him still inside. The store manager and three other sales associates were working their way through the baskets.

“Man, where have you been for the last few years?”

“I’ve been stationed overseas for the last several years. My current base is extremely remote so I have to buy when I can.” John answered the sales clerk smoothly. “Bored Marines get into lots of trouble.” John gave him a look when Cam had to cover his laughter with a cough.

Getting John’s purchases into his Mustang was fun. By the time they finished loading the car, there was just enough room for the two men. Cam drove them to an excellent gun shop where John bought two Colt M1911As, six hi-capacity magazines and a case of hollow point ammo along with a pair of new thigh holsters. The shop owner, Marlon Dance, was eying them fiercely until John showed his ID and mentioned that he was stationed at a remote base and needed better firepower. After that, Marlon grew friendly and very helpful.

John ended up putting the ammo under his feet as there was nowhere else in the car to put it. The guns and other pieces went under the seats. “We should’ve brought a bigger boat.”

Cam laughed and drove them to a restaurant that served awesome steaks. He figured John didn’t get to enjoy his previous one. A friend had brought Cam to Outlaw’s one night with the promise of the best New York Strip he’d ever had and he was right. The steak was so good it didn’t need steak sauce, the fries were crispy and there was live music. Luck was with them and the bar had a great local group called Heathen that performed covers of a mix of classic and new rock music.

Watching John as he devoured the steak and enjoyed the music made Cam glad he’d brought them here. It was almost as much fun as watching the group of Marines unload his car and cart everything to John’s suite. Bags stacked neatly in one corner, Cam grabbed John and dragged him from the room.

John started to protest, but Cam turned and placed a finger across his lips. “Don’t even. You’re going to spend enough time in there this week. Come with me. We’ll watch football tomorrow and I’ll have you back here in plenty of time for your first meeting Monday.”

Cam had seen the hesitation in John’s eyes before it was swamped beneath longing. “Okay.”

Cam drove this time, John in the passenger seat enjoying the Colorado night. At Cam’s apartment, no sooner had the door closed than Cam held out a small bag. “Here, I got you something.”

John took the bag and Cam watched as he reached in and pulled out the set of keys. John held them up as he checked out the F-16 key ring they were attached to.

“Did you buy me a house?”

Cam blinked. “No. Those are keys to my car and this apartment. I was serious about you staying here. Living in the Mountain all the time is hard when you’re used to open sky.”

“Yeah, it is.” John rubbed the back of his neck, a gesture Cam had figured out that meant he was nervous or unsure. “I appreciate it. Being in the Mountain is rough for me. I can … hear the pieces of Ancient tech that are scattered throughout the labs. Being away from them eases the pain of missing Atlantis.”

“You really love that city, don’t you?”

John nodded. “It calls to part of my soul.” He stared at a spot over Cam’s shoulder. “Atlantis is home in so many ways. The city responds to me like it’s alive.” His gaze shifted and Cam was transfixed by John’s striking hazel orbs. “Atlantis is home.”

Cam grabbed John’s biceps and pinned him to the wall. “Well, right now, I want you thinking of things other than a sentient city.”

John shifted and brushed his hard cock against Cam’s thigh. “And what things would those be?”

Cam tilted his head to gain access to John’s lips. He brushed them lightly with his own and they were as soft as he remembered. John brought his arms up and pulled Cam closer then latched onto Cam’s lips with his own. The kiss started out gentle, then lips parted and tongues met and the kiss grew heated as they attempted to devour the other.

Cam surfaced first and tugged John down the hall to his bedroom and turned on his bedside lamp before pinning his shoulders to the wall. He engaged John in another kiss as his hands traveled to John’s fly and unfastened it. Cam pulled back in order to allow his mouth the travel along John’s jaw to his ear. He nipped at his earlobe then turned John’s head so he could tease the sensitive skin behind his ear. The shiver that coursed through John’s frame told him his guess was right. John tilted his head up and Cam lowered his mouth to skim along John’s throat, sucking and licking as he went. He found an odd scar on John’s throat that he made a mental note to ask him about later. He was planning to leave John a few marks, but they would be where only the two of them would see unless John wound up in the infirmary again.

Cam dropped to his knees and brushed his cheek against John’s hard cock. His hands, which had been gripping John’s hips, now traveled to push his jeans down and cup his firm ass. John’s hands came up to brush through his hair as Cam blew hot breaths along his hard length through his boxers. He leaned back and looked up. John’s head was thrown back against the wall, the long line of his throat exposed and still slightly pink from Cam’s ministrations.

Cam reached up and pulled John’s boxer’s down and pushed them and his jeans to his knees. He removed John’s sneakers and tossed them off to one side then did the same with his jeans and underwear. “Take your shirt off. I want to see all of you.”

John smiled at him as he pulled his t-shirt off, his eyes green with lust.

Cam sat back on his heels and allowed his eyes to roam. John was sleek and well-muscled, the dark hair dusted across his chest only serving to accent his form as it narrowed in and arrowed down to frame his manhood. John’s cock was a masterpiece. It was much like the man himself, long and thick in all the right places. He nudged John’s legs further apart then ran the fingers of one hand between them to play with his balls even as his tongue licked a slow wet line along John’s dick. John’s cock jerked when he reached the head and an answering throb echoed from below his own belt. He nibbled his way down John’s cock and was rewarded by the moans that filtered down. His hands got into the game as well. One hand caressed and teased his balls while the other drifted across his ass cheeks and down his crack. Cam reached the root of John’s cock and latched on, sucking hard. John let out a groan and Cam released his hold and traced a wet stripe up his hard length once more. At the head, Cam paused and peered up at John. His head was still against the wall, his eyes were closed and he was flushed with arousal.

Cam smiled a wicked grin as he narrowed the tip of his tongue and sent it into the opening of John’s cock. John gave a wordless shout as Cam’s tongue probed his slit. He brought his left hand up and wrapped it around John’s cock as Cam slipped the head between his lips. His right hand stayed planted on John’s ass, fingertips grazing his hole. Cursing that he hadn’t planned better, Cam brought his right hand up and wiped the drool from his chin. Fingers now slick, he started circling John’s hole even more as he took more of his cock into his mouth.

Above him, John’s breathing picked up, coming harder and faster as he neared his peak. Cam drew John’s cock deeper into his mouth and began sucking harder. At the same time, he pressed the finger that had been teasing his hole in and started finger fucking his lover. John started panting then gave another wordless shout as he came, his entire body shuddering with release. Cam swallowed him down then sucked him clean as he gently pulled his finger from John’s ass.

John’s frame was trembling from the overload of pleasure. Cam guessed it had been a long time for him since he’d gotten release from anything except his right hand. John sagged against the wall and Cam surged up and wrapped his arms around him in a tight hug.

John leaned on Cam, his sweat-damp head falling forward to rest on his shoulder. The two inches of separation in their heights meant neither had to stretch or stoop when kissing, hugging or snuggling.

“Oh my god, Cam. You are incredible.” John puffed out.

Cam chuckled. “Mmm, if you liked that, wait ‘til I get to fuck you.”

John groaned. “You’re gonna be the death of me.”

“But what a way to go.”

John burst out laughing and Cam joined in. He was glad he’d gotten John to come home with him and that he’d gotten him to relax. He manhandled John to the bed and eased him down before stretching out on top of him. John’s arms came up to encircle his neck and draw him in for a kiss.

“Y’know, I don’t find your belt buckle sexy,” John said.

Cam blushed. He’d been so intent on John’s pleasure that he’d forgotten he was still dressed. He scrambled from the bed, shucked his clothing faster than his Grandma could shuck corn and sprawled back atop John.

“Better?”

John nodded before he surprised Cam and flipped them over. Then it was Cam’s turn to endure the licking, sucking and teasing as John proceeded to rock his world. Cam felt like he shook into pieces as John brought him to his climax. It had been a long time for him as well. John eased from the bed and cleaned up, Cam followed as soon as he felt he could stand. John was in bed, lying on his side, wearing his t-shirt and boxers once again by the time Cam finished. Cam turned off the light and slipped in behind him. He wrapped one arm around John’s waist and tugged until they met in the center of the bed.

“’Night, Cam.”

Cam chuckled then took the opening John had left. “’Night, John-boy.”

John groaned and shot his elbow into Cam’s ribs as he snuggled deeper and they both went to sleep.


	6. Prior Engagement

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank you all for the lovely kudos and comments. They are appreciated and are very encouraging. When I set out to write this, I wasn't sure how it would turn out, but, all I can say is WOW!
> 
> Thanks to DorothyOz for her excellent beta and for keeping my SG-1 facts straight as I am sadly behind on my viewing due to work and school.

It was a good thing that John got a good night’s sleep followed by a day spent watching football with Cam because it was the last one he would see for a while.

Cam had him back to the Mountain in plenty of time to get dressed. John had showered when he got up so his hair was dry. He’d taken his dress uniform out of storage and had it cleaned. Cam stayed and they discussed the mission he was going on later in the day.

“Remember, you can stay at my place while I’m gone. That’s why I gave you a set of keys.” Cam said.

“I know and I appreciate it. I have a feeling that this is going to get ugly and I don’t want to dump it on you.”

A shadow blocked John’s light as he was replacing his awards. He looked up into Cam’s blue eyes.

“I don’t see it as dumping, I see it as sharing. Momma always told me that burdens are lighter when they’re shared.”

“Your mother sounds like a very wise person.”

“She is an’ she’s gonna love you.” Cam said with a smile.

“Well, since she raised you, I’m sure I’ll love her too.” As he said it, he realized that he had no idea how big Cam’s family was. “Um, how big is …?”

“Well, my immediate family is me, my Momma, Dad, my brother Cole, and Grandma. How about yours?”

“I already told you about my mother. My father’s name is Patrick and I have an older brother, Dave. I don’t really count them as family anymore since my father practically disowned me after Nancy and I divorced. He felt that the military was only for people with no prospects in life.”

“Ouch.” Cam winced in sympathy. “How long …?”

“It’s been nine years and counting. He made it clear that I wasn’t welcome in his house. I walked out and haven’t looked back.”

The couch shifted as Cam sat beside him. “John …”

“No.” John could feel the old pain rising to the surface again. “No. If they want to contact me, they know how. I was the one kicked out. I’m not going to crawl back on my hands and knees just to get kicked again.”

Cam was silent for a time as John put the finishing touches on his uniform before donning the outfit. John had seen Cam in the mirror before Cam wrapped his arms carefully around him. John leaned into the embrace, trying to soak up as much good will as he could. John’s watch beeped and he sagged in Cam’s arms. “It’s time.”

Cam stepped back and John spun around. Cam leaned forward and placed a light kiss on John’s lips. “Try not to let them get to you. If they can get a rise out of you, they’ll keep pushing your buttons.”

Four hours later, John was hard pressed to remember Cam’s advice. The meeting was being chaired by O’Neill as he was Head of Homeworld Security. The board consisted of General Maynard, General Vidrine, and the IOA representatives, Jeff Vinson and Carl Young. They questioned every decision he made from his trip with Teyla to see the carved warnings in the old bunker to his decision to bring the remaining Athosians to Atlantis. The discovery of the puddle jumpers drew appreciative noises as he described their primary functions.

Then they got to the rescue mission and Sumner.

John was grilled extensively on every word, action, and gesture he'd made to or about Sumner. Every interaction was picked apart in an attempt to assign ulterior motives to his actions.

“Major Sheppard, you stated that Colonel Sumner told you to shoot him, correct?” Vinson asked.

“He did.”

“If he was in such an advanced state of aging as you’ve stated, how did he tell you?”

“He’d spotted me before the Caretaker started feeding the last time, but he made no outward acknowledgment. After she started feeding and declared that she would take all of his years, he tilted his head towards my position and nodded at me to take the shot.”

“Could his action have been a product of his aged state?” Young asked.

“No. This was not a wobbly neck movement. His action was clear and deliberate.”

“But …”

“Enough, gentlemen,” O’Neill said. He motioned towards Maynard and Vidrine. “We see nothing in Major Sheppard’s actions or statements that shows his action towards Colonel Sumner to be anything other than what it was; the deliverance of the coup de grâce to a mortally wounded comrade in order to protect vital information.” O’Neill leaned forward in his chair. “Unless you’d like to have the Wraith over for dinner?” He looked at the two IOA reps. “No? Then quit crucifying the man for having the guts to make a hard decision. This matter is closed. We will move on after lunch.”

John felt as though he was walking in a fog when he left the conference room. He could feel someone’s gaze on him but was too tired to find out whose. He grabbed a bowl of oatmeal and a glass of milk for lunch; his stomach was in too much turmoil for anything else.

The day’s second session was almost as bad. The IOA went straight to their relations and interactions with the Genii.

“So let me get this straight – you offered to trade C4 for food and alliance against the Wraith,” Vinson stated.

“I did. The Genii may be farmers on the surface, but their level of technology is equivalent to ours during the 1930’s and 40’s. I felt then that if we filled in a gap in their tech that they would become valuable allies. It was only during the joint mission to infiltrate a Hive ship that they showed their true colors and revealed their goal of taking the Wraith’s place as a major force in Pegasus. However, I did have a suspicion that they were not honest with us, so I posted extra jumpers at the rendezvous point.”

Paper rustled. “At which time you kept the C4 that they had been promised and took possession of the Wraith hard drive.” Young stated.

“I did. I also kept all personnel on that mission from being taken hostage and prevented the loss of a jumper.”

They moved on to the invasion during the storm and the sixty-five Genii he killed in defense of Atlantis and on into the evening. Maynard and Vidrine asked pertinent questions where the IOA men seemed more interested in pursuing a witch hunt. O’Neill played referee and shortened the IOA’s leashes as needed. After they had finished for the day, all three Generals commended John for his restraint in not feeding the IOA reps their teeth when they called him a murderer not once, but four times throughout the meeting.

John stopped by the mess hall and picked up a couple of protein shakes. His stomach had tied itself into so many knots that solid food would come right back up. After downing two of the shakes and taking a twenty minute shower, John tumbled into his bed, exhausted, wishing that Cam was on base to wrap around him.

It was gonna be a long week.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Cam was having a marginally better day than John, but that wasn’t saying much. They had come to P8X-412 to gather information on the Ori. Come to find out that the planet was one that Vala had ruled over during her time as host to Qetesh. Between them, Cam and Daniel convinced Vala to come clean to the villagers that she was not a god. To say that the villagers took it badly was an understatement. He had not planned on Daniel having to defend Vala for actions committed while she was a Host.

The team had been served dinner by the innkeeper but had not been encouraged to linger after they were finished eating.

Cam fell asleep on a cot he’d been given as none of them trusted the villagers to not harm Vala in their absence so they were bunking in the guard room of the small jail. He wished he was back on Earth, wrapped around John to support him during these meetings. He’d been in similar circumstances before.

The first time had been after that incident with the bad intelligence in Afghanistan when he’d almost given up flying. The second had been after the Battle of Antarctica. As Squadron Commander, he’d been questioned on everything from tactics to timing to training. The review board had picked apart every decision he’d made until he’d started to question himself. That he was going through rehab at the time for the injuries he’d sustained in the fight had left him feeling murderous and frustrated.

It was going to be a long week.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The next day, the villagers were still discussing what to charge Vala with. Daniel, Cam, and Teal’c stayed close to make sure no one got any bright ideas. They also managed to pry a lot of information out of Vala as to actions committed by Qetesh. Shortly before nightfall, Cam was informed that the Mal Doran would be held the following day.

The third day of their visit, the villagers gathered in their meeting hall for the trial. Vala was brought before them in chains, but they were removed for the trial. Daniel managed to convince them that the mass killings had been the work of the symbiote which got the death penalty off the table, and reduced the list of crimes to half.

As Daniel delivered his final statement trying not only to get Vala off the charges, but also to convince the villagers to reject the Prior’s offer, the Prior came back.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

After being grilled over relations with the Genii, topics moved to the Hoffan drug, the black energy creature, and on and on. John gave Vinson and Young a flat-eyed stare when Vinson asked why they didn’t take the ZPM from M7G-677. O’Neill and Vidrine turned and stared at him incredulously. It was Maynard who explained how that would have been a violation of the ethics code of the SGC, the Air Force, and even International Law.

They waited until Thursday to ask about Chaya. It was bad enough that they questioned his decision in bringing her to Atlantis. It was worse when they asked about her abilities and how she was able to fool the city’s sensors, medical equipment, and every other piece of machinery she came in contact with. John gave the best answers he could which didn’t make them happy. He wasn’t McKay so he couldn’t dazzle them with technobabble, and since O’Neill wouldn’t let him shoot them, they had to be satisfied with what they got. He thought they would leave his “affair” with Chaya alone, but he was sorely mistaken.

“Major Sheppard, were you ordered to romance Chaya Sar?”

John had a mouthful of water when that question came out and he managed to turn his head and spray the water onto the floor instead of across the table at the three officers. “No, I was not ordered to romance Chaya. I was told to be diplomatic and to be her escort while she was in the city.”

“Was it your idea to engage in … extracurricular activities with Ms. Sar after she returned to her world?”

John looked at O’Neill. “Sir, since when does my private life have any bearing on how I do my job?”

Young cut in before O’Neill could answer. “Major Sheppard, we are simply attempting to find out to what lengths you would go to secure favorable conditions for the expedition.”

John shot him a venomous look. “No, you were trying to find out how good she was in bed. I’ll say it one more time, slowly, and I’ll use small words. We … did … not … have … sex. She called it the “Ritual of Sharing”. We shared memories and thoughts, nothing more, then we separated. I have not seen her since.”

O’Neill leaned forward. “Well, I’ve heard enough.” He looked at the two IOA reps. “I’ll have a car brought around for you to take you to the airport.”

The two IOA reps recognized the dismissal, gathered their papers, and left sporting angry frowns at being outsmarted by O’Neill. The man was clearly not going to allow them to change his plans for the Expedition, no matter how much the IOA liked to believe they were in control. O’Neill always managed to reduce their control as much as possible.

Maynard waited until the two left before he spoke. “Major Sheppard, we wish to commend you for the job you performed over the last year. You took a complicated situation and persevered.”

They all stood to leave and John asked the one question that had been burning a hole in his gut. “Um, Sirs, who’s going to take over as Military Commander?”

“We’re going to announce that Monday,” O’Neill said with a smug look on his face. “Take the rest of the day off and get some sleep.”

John drew himself to attention. “Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir.”

Passing through the mess hall, John overheard some of the medical staff talking about Dr. Lam and a team having been called out to treat a disease one of the SG teams had encountered. Concerned for Cam, who was still out, John paused at their table. “Excuse me, but which team did she go to assist?”

One of the nurses, a blond named Linda, turned to look at him. “Um, I’m not certain, but their designation had a one in it.”

Another, a petite brunette with a British accent piped up. “It may have been SG-11, but I’m not certain.”

No one else at the table had any more information, so John thanked them and walked off. With the meetings over, his appetite had returned for a short time, but worry about Cam took their place and tossed his desire for food out the window.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

 “Hey, I heard SG-1 ran into one of the Ori and that Doc Lam got called out to take care of some disease.”

“Oh, yeah, I heard that. Samuels told me that SG-1 came down with it too.”

Doctor M. Rodney McKay, PhD., PhD. was the smartest man in two galaxies. Most people would think eavesdropping on gossip would be beneath him, but it was a good way to catch malcontents before they went postal. Other than being the most intelligent man, he was commonly considered the most clueless. But not this time. He knew Sheppard had landed in trouble last week, and that Mitchell from SG-1 had bailed him out. He’d been busy and their paths hadn’t crossed, but he had asked Carson and the Scot had assured him that Sheppard was doing well. The first chance he’d gotten, he had stopped by the infirmary to see his friend and team leader but Sheppard had already been discharged.

Rodney left him alone over the weekend and was unable to get a chance to hunt him down during the week. He had his own IOA stooges to deal with, but he sent his packing by browbeating them with snark, sarcasm, and technobabble. He checked the Mountain’s transportation logs and found that O’Neill had ordered transport to the airport for the IOA representatives. That meant the meetings were done. Knowing Sheppard, Rodney figured he was replaying every action in his head to see if he could’ve done anything differently.

Rodney decided to try something new and be a friend. Armed with good beer, Cheetos, and Doritos, Rodney knocked on Sheppard’s door. When he didn’t get an answer, he surreptitiously checked the LSD he’d brought with him from Atlantis. A single golden dot blinked at him from the screen indicating that Sheppard was in. Rodney put the LSD away and pulled out his keycard. He’d programmed it years ago to give him access to most of the Mountain, so gaining access to Sheppard’s room was child’s play.

Rodney entered the room and quickly closed the door. The room was dim, but there was enough light for Rodney to see. Sheppard lay on the bed dressed in a t-shirt and loose cotton pants wrapped around a pillow. He moved close to the bed, but not too close. After spending the last year in close quarters with the man, Rodney knew how unpredictable he could be when wakened. “Sheppard?”

Sheppard shifted and muttered something too low for Rodney to hear.

“Sheppard? It’s Rodney. I brought food.”

“Rodney? Haven’t told Rodney yet, Cam. Haven’t told anyone yet.”

Smelling a mystery, Rodney edged closer. “Haven’t told me what?” He asked softly.

“Cam an’ me are together,” Sheppard muttered, still in the borderlands of sleep.

“Together? As in _together_ together?” Rodney asked.

“Mmm.” Sheppard snuggled into his pillow and pulled his blankets up as a shiver wracked his frame.

Rodney stared at his friend for a moment, gears turning over in his big brain. He’d teased Sheppard about the thing with Chaya, but he’d always sworn there was no sex involved. Then there were the various chieftain’s daughters and high priestesses that always seemed to swarm Sheppard, who never saw their interest as anything but friendliness. But, if Sheppard were gay or possibly bi, it would explain so much. The disinterest in the women that threw themselves at him, the bare minimum make-out session with Chaya, all of it.

Rodney decided they needed to talk. Plus, if he was asleep, that meant Sheppard didn’t know about SG-1. He tucked the beer into the suite’s mini fridge, set the snacks beside it and settled in to wait.

Rodney was joyously red-inking a paper handed to him by Bill Lee when a sound intruded into his musings. He raised his head and looked around, but there was no one present except himself and Sheppard, and the other man was still asleep. He went back to the paper and had scribed a scathing review on the end of it when the sounds intruded again.

“Cam, no. Fight it. You can’t give in.”

“Sheppard?” Rodney stood and eased towards the bed. Sheppard was still asleep, but he was restless, his pale skin glistening with sweat.

“Don’t let the bastard win. I love you. Don’t leave me.”

Rodney felt like he was intruding, but he refused to leave. Jeannie had always accused him of being insensitive, but the truth was that most people weren’t worth his time. There were very few people that were worth his time – Jeannie, Zelenka, Carson, Elizabeth, and now Sheppard and Teyla. He fetched a damp washrag and a towel, wiped the sweat off Sheppard then placed the cold cloth on his forehead and covered him with a sheet. Worry for his friend pounced on Rodney so he called Carson and badgered him into coming down and checking on Sheppard.

Carson knocked a few minutes later, bag of necessities in hand.

“Rodney, you know the Mountain has a perfectly good infirmary,” Carson said.

“Yes, I do know that, but I trust your voodoo spells more than anyone else’s. If anyone’s going to rattle chicken bones over my team leader, I’d rather it be you.”

“Well, thank you, Rodney. I think.” Carson said.

“So what’s wrong with him?”

“If you let me see him, maybe I can figure it out.”

Carson pulled out one of the Ancient medical scanners and ran it the length of Sheppard’s body. He was still restless and sweating with occasional mutters escaping.

“Hmm, well, other than the fever and that he’s a wee bit dehydrated, I canna find anythin’ wrong with him,” Carson said.

“Cam, no, keep fighting. I won’t let you go.” Sheppard muttered.

“Now that’s interesting.” Carson picked up his scanner and adjusted a few settings. “Hmmm.”

“What?” Rodney asked.

“I’m detecting some unusual waves in his brain pattern.” Carson poked a few buttons then turned and pulled his laptop from his bag. “Can you get me a copy of Colonel Mitchell’s brainwaves?”

Rodney grabbed his laptop that he’d set aside to take care of Sheppard. Keys rattled then Rodney swung the machine around. “Done.”

Carson split the image and highlighted Sheppard’s pattern. “This is the Major’s pattern, and this is the other.” Rodney sent Mitchell’s to Carson, who overlaid it with the unknown. “The patterns match except for these two lines here.” Carson tapped a few keys and isolated the two waves.

Rodney peered at the two waves then stood and snapped his fingers before snatching up his laptop. He typed furiously then swung the screen around. “This is from a set of bracelets that Vala accidentally used on herself and Daniel Jackson. The bracelets bound the two of them together. They couldn’t be more than ten feet from each other without passing out. Then when they used the Ancient communication device it got worse. They’re still suffering from some residual effects, and they’ve yet to travel through the Stargate separately just in case, they’re afraid it would be too much distance and they’ll die or something.”

“But the Major and Colonel Mitchell have been light years from each other all week, Rodney, and had never been exposed to those bracelets.”

“Yes, but the waves are similar.” Rodney tapped a few more keys. “From what Daniel and Vala reported and from Sam’s observations, she theorized that the bracelets awakened a soul bond or created one or something… You know, souls are not my thing. I’m going to assume that somehow they connected their minds, and it’s exactly what’s happened to Sheppard and Mitchell somehow.”

“My grandmother used to tell tales of soul bonds. She swore that she and my grandfather shared one, especially after he broke his leg and she knew about it afore she found him. My sisters lapped those stories up, but I never actually believed them … until now.”

“So, Sheppard … and Mitchell?”

“The heart loves what the heart loves,” Carson said.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

They allowed Vala out of her cell so she could use her healing device on them. The device was only delaying the inevitable so Mitchell called for reinforcement from the SGC in the form of a Hazmat medical team. Lam, who has invaluable experience with the CDC, and her team went to the planet hoping to help.

Their efforts were mostly wasted as more and more villagers succumbed to the sickness. They persevered, but SG1’s leader was soon ill too.

"Submit to Origin or you shall be exterminated.” The Prior announced as it stepped through the door of the meeting hall.

Daniel jumped to his feet. “No! The Ori are not gods. It’s a trick.”

The council muttered amongst themselves. “We do not know what to believe,” Asdak said, a tremble in his voice. “We do not wish to worship false gods, but we do not wish to be decimated by wrathful gods either. You who are her friends shall be her keepers until this matter is resolved. On your honor, return her to her cell while we debate.”

Cam decided to get a bite since his stomach and his backbone were arguing with each other. He’d just finished an MRE when Asdak entered the jail. “We have decided. For the rest of her actions, Vala, former host of Qetesh, has been sentenced to life in prison.”

“Asdak, surely there must be some room for leniency,” Daniel asked.

“Doctor Jackson, I …” Asdak began as one of the village boys poked his head in the door.

“Asdak! Vashna is ill.”

“How can this be? Vashna was cured by the Prior the first time he came.”

Daniel straightened his glasses. “It is as I told you. This plague was brought by the Ori. The Prior cured Vashna, and since the village has not bowed to them, he has sent this illness as punishment. Now you tell me how that’s better than the Goa’uld?”

Asdak peered at Daniel in bewilderment. “I … I know not.”

“I can help him.” Vala said from her cell.

“How can I trust you?” Asdak sneered at her. “You lied to us before.”

“Because I told the truth and I’m telling it now. I can help.”

Asdak chewed on a thumbnail for a moment then motioned to the jailer. “Let her out.”

Daniel handed Vala her pack and the group trotted to the pyramid temple where the sick were taken for care.

Vala pulled out her healing device and set to work. She soon had Vashna back on his feet, but more had been brought in. Vala moved from patient to patient while Daniel and Teal’c assisted the ill as much as they could. Upon seeing the stream of sick villagers being brought to the temple, Cam hotfooted to the Stargate. They needed help and he knew it. He wiped the sweat from his brow even though it was a chilly day and grabbed the DHD as his balance wobbled while he dialed the Gate.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Sam Carter hurried through the halls. Doctor Beckett’s call had sounded urgent. She knocked on Major Sheppard’s door and Rodney let her in.

“Ah, lass, thank you for coming so quickly,” Beckett said.

Sam peered at the bed. Sheppard was pale, sweating, and restless. Beckett had set him up with an IV and had a portable oxygen tank handy. “What can I do for you?”

“I need some information and some help.” Beckett began. “Major Sheppard fell ill suddenly, but there are absolutely no traces of a pathogen in his system.”

“How …?”

Beckett held up the Ancient scanner.

“Ah. So what do you need from me?”

“I need to know if Colonel Mitchell is sick and if he has the ATA gene,” Beckett said.

Sam sighed and her shoulders slumped a bit. “Yeah, he is and does. His isn’t as strong as Sheppard’s or Jack’s, but he does have it. At Carolyn’s last check-in, she reported that Cam had been affected by the virus but that Daniel, Teal’c, and Vala seemed to be immune. And before you ask, the symptoms are high fever, sweating, chills and difficulty breathing.” She straightened and peered at Beckett. “So what do you think is wrong with Sheppard?”

“Well, he has all the symptoms except the difficulty breathing so far, but without the pathogen to cause it. My theory is that he and Colonel Mitchell are bonded to each other.”

Sam blinked. Of all the possibilities that had run through her head, that wasn’t one of them. “I know Daniel’s been researching soul bonds lately. He found some information that suggested that the Ancient’s were capable of soul bonding. It seems that it was more prevalent in their early days but that it supposedly vanished as they focused on Ascension.”

“Well, evidence suggests that it’s not as extinct as the Ancients are,” Rodney said.

Sam noticed that his snark knob was turned way up. For him to act like this, he and Sheppard must be close. She’d never have figured that Sheppard and Rodney would be friends, but they obviously were. “We need to tell Jack.”

“General O’Neill?” Beckett looked suspicious. “Why?”

“Because this is important.”

Beckett released a sigh. “Fine, if you feel it’s necessary.”

Sam walked over to the phone and dialed. “Jack, are you busy right now? I need to talk to you.”


	7. Bound

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay, but I think you'll all enjoy this one. Thanks for the wonderful comments and kudos. They are much appreciated.
> 
> Thanks to DorothyOz for her beta. I can't thank you enough.
> 
> Now, on with our tale ...

Cam was depressed as he and the rest of SG-1 trudged to the Gate in the late morning light. When the Prior returned, he refused to cure the village because only a small portion of the villagers were on their feet. When he stepped into the temple and offered the treatment if the villagers submitted, every villager within hearing raised their voices in fealty. The Prior allowed his gaze to run the course of the room before he raised his staff and slammed the butt into the ground. A burst of bright light shot forth and when it faded, so too had the plague.

_“Cam, no. Fight it. You can’t give in.”_

The bad news was that the Ori now had another world in their pockets. The good news is that Cam had been healed along with the villagers. The second piece of good news was that the villagers let Vala leave with them. He was anxious to get back home to see John.

_“Don’t let the bastard win. I love you. Don’t leave me.”_

John’s debriefings should have ended. That meant they could go out on a sorta-date. They couldn’t date officially, but as long as they didn’t show any public displays of affection they’d be fine.

_“Keep fighting, Cam. I won’t let you go.”_

Cam really needed to talk to Sam. After he’d fallen ill, he’d heard John’s voice in his head telling him to fight the disease. He wanted to know if there was any way he could’ve heard John or if it was his mind playing tricks. Actually, he needed to get Sam and Daniel together as it could have something to do with the ATA gene they both shared. Atlantis had been one of his options, but he hadn’t wanted to sit around waiting for the expedition to leave. According to the test they’d devised, his ATA gene was moderately strong, which meant he could use the Command Chair in Antarctica, but it took a lot of concentration. After the Expedition had left, Sam had shown him where he ranked among the known carriers. He was fifth, ranking below Major Lorne from SG-11 with Doctor Carson Beckett in third. He’d thought O’Neill would be top so he’d been surprised to see John’s name in the number one slot instead.

Cam stepped through the Stargate and headed for the infirmary. Lam had given him a clean bill of health, but a check-up was mandatory any time they went off world. He slumped onto an exam table for his check-up, anxious to see John. Doctor Lindsay performed his check and thankfully was as quick as ever. Cam gathered his gear and was headed out when Sam appeared and motioned for him and Daniel to follow her. Once they reached the residential section, he recognized where they were heading and picked up his pace. He quickly keyed open the door to their destination and made his way to John's side. He was shocked at John's appearance. His usually jaunty hair was limp and lying near his skull except where his pillow pushed it up; he was pale and his skin was dull with dried sweat.

“What happened?” He asked the group around John's bed which consisted of Sam, Beckett, McKay, Elizabeth Weir, and O'Neill. Daniel slipped through behind him with Sam bringing up the rear.

The group exchanged looks and Beckett nodded in silent agreement. “The Major was taken ill late yesterday afternoon, apparently a short time after you fell victim to that nasty plague. He exhibited similar symptoms as those reported by yourself and Doctor Lam.”

Cam was stunned. John hadn’t been anywhere to get sick. “But how?’ Cam asked as he dropped down on a chair by John’s side, his hand creeping up to clasp John’s nearest.

“We think the two of you may be soul bonded,” Sam answered.

“Soul …? Seriously? That sounds like something from a fairy tale.” Cam drawled.

Daniel pushed his glasses up. “Actually, the Ancients proved the existence of soul bonds. The Stargates made it easy. They took one member of the pair to a different planet and subjected both persons to different situations. Strong negative emotions such as anger, fear, and despair transmitted easily. Life-threatening illnesses did as well. Over time, they showed that the bond grew stronger, especially if the bonded pair were, um … romantically involved.”

“So John got sick because I had that damn plague?”

“Yes, Colonel, that’s what the evidence suggests,” Beckett said.

Cam turned to his teammate. “Daniel, is there any way to break the bond?”

“Die before the relationship is consummated.”

“You better not. I’ll sic Carson and Rodney on you.”

John’s voice was raspy, but at that moment it was the most beautiful thing Cam had heard. He looked over at his partner and was happy to see those glorious hazel eyes open. “Hey you.”

“Hey yourself.” John blinked and peered at the group around his bed. “What’re all of you doing here?”

“You got sick and Rodney called me,” Carson told him as he checked his vitals. “I called Sam for information. She told O’Neill. Elizabeth stopped by to check on you.”

“Okay, so why’re all of you still here?” John asked.

“Because we were worried about you, you idiot.” Rodney snapped.

“Hey! He’s not an idiot.” Cam shifted to defend John’s honor, but a hand on his arm stopped him.

“You’re just jealous ‘cause she likes me better,” John smirked at Rodney.

“Okay, enough,” O’Neill called out before the snark fest shifted into full swing. “Daniel, is this going to affect their jobs?”

Daniel shook his head. “The Ancients reported that some of the bonded pairs they studied only saw each other once every couple of months and were fine and that distance was no barrier.”

“Good, ‘cause I need both of them right where they are for now,” O’Neill said. “As for the two of you, your positions are secure. DADT doesn’t apply to members of the SGC. The Mountain, Atlantis, and any off-world base are safe for you. Anyone gives you trouble of any kind, you let me know. There is no place for homophobic shitheads here. I can’t have people who will look at the Asgard odd because of their lack of genitals or who will flip out at the Tok’ra when a symbiote who identifies as female speaks from a male host’s mouth or vice-versa, and then there’s the Nox who should be listed under the term ‘free love’.”

Elizabeth added her own piece. “That goes for Atlantis’ civilians as well. That kind of behavior will not be tolerated.”

O’Neill stood and clapped his hands. “Well, since Sheppard’s okay and Mitchell’s alive, I’m heading out. Sam, would you and Daniel explain this to Doctor Lam?” The pair nodded as he headed for the door then stopped, his hand on the knob. “Sheppard, make sure you get your dress uniform cleaned before Monday. You’ll need it when I announce the Military Commander for Atlantis.” He winked at John then left.

John groaned. “Great. It’ll probably be another of Sumner’s friends who’ll want to make my life hell.”

Elizabeth smiled. “No, I can honestly say that you’ll like the new commander, John.”

John yawned. “I’ll believe it when I see it. Now, if you all don’t mind, I need a shower, food, and some sleep.” He threw back the covers and stood, planted a kiss on Cam’s lips then pulled his damp t-shirt off and tossed it at the laundry basket in the corner.

“I’ll send to the mess hall and have food brought for us.” Cam said.

“That sounds good,” John said. He looked at his friends. “Now, if you’ll excuse me.” He sauntered into the bathroom, hips swaying suggestively as his fingers snagged his waistband. Cam’s head swiveled to follow his movements, fascinated by the play of muscles under John’s skin.

Rodney turned red and bolted for the door. “Oh my god, I didn’t need to see that!”

Sam and Daniel left with matching expressions of amusement on their faces, each giving Cam a wink.

Carson dipped into his bag and pulled out a slender tube and a handful of foil packets. He laid them on the bedside table, picked up his pack, tossed a cheery grin at Cam, and then chivvied Elizabeth out the door ahead of him.

Cam stood frozen for a moment until he heard the shower start. He grabbed the phone and ordered dinner for two, then hurriedly stripped to join John in the shower.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

John towel dried his hair as he watched Cam set out their dinner. He smiled as Cam twitched the forks straight to some guide that only he could see. He snatched a clean tee and sleep pants from the small dresser and put them on while Cam fussed more. “Can we eat now or would you like to ask our dinner out on a date?”

“No, we can eat.” Cam said.

“Good, cause I’m starved.” John sat down and flicked his napkin open then spread it across his lap. He reached for his fork, but Cam’s hand covered his.

“John, I’m sorry that you got sick.” Cam’s voice was laced with sorrow. “Daniel said the bond can be broken if we don’t consummate it.”

“No, Daniel said you would have to die before it was consummated and that’s not happening.”

“You heard that?” The surprise on Cam’s face was priceless.

“I was sick, not deaf,” John told him, a hint of exasperation in his voice. “Plus I answered you so I’d say that’s enough evidence that I heard you.” John freed his hand and took a sip of water. “It’s too late anyway.” John was amazed that the bond had survived his death when Ford zapped him with a defibrillator, but he guessed the connection survived because he’d only been mostly dead.

“How so? We haven’t had sex yet.” Cam asked.

“Boy, you were raised in the country. Kissing and great blowjobs are covered under sexual intercourse. Sexual intercourse is required for consummation of the bond. You’ve heard the term ‘sealed with a kiss’ right?”

“Uh huh.”

John waved one hand towards Cam. “There you go.”

“So it’s already too late.” Cam made it a statement instead of a question.

“Yep. ‘Til death do us part and all that.” John picked up his fork. “Now let’s eat. You owe me a massage.”

Cam picked up his own fork and nodded.

John loved teasing Cam. They’d only been together for a week, but it felt so natural. And he could not wait to get Cam’s hands on his body. When Cam had joined him in the shower, they’d grabbed each other and simply hugged for a moment, relief at being alive overshadowing anything else. Then he’d nibbled on Cam’s lips and they’d gotten into a serious tongue-wrestling match that had stopped when Cam had pushed John against the shower wall and John had let out a groan as his body protested. Cam’s lust had shifted to concern as he ran sure hands over John’s body and found every tense muscle in his frame. John had groaned again as Cam washed him head to toe, pampering, and working to relax him.

They were halfway through dinner when Cam broke the silence.

“Why don’t you come to team movie night tomorrow?”

“I haven’t done that in weeks. We, meaning me, Rodney, Ford, and Teyla used to get together at least once a week. We were using movie night to teach Teyla about Earth. Then the Wraith decided to come calling and we had so much to do that we barely slept.”

“Well, that’s an even better reason to come. You’re wound tighter than my Grandma’s cuckoo clock. My team likes you. Heck, you can bring McKay too. He’s part of your team although most people I’ve talked to think you deserve a medal for not shooting him yet.” Cam said.

One corner of John’s mouth rose in amusement. “I did shoot him.”

Cam had just taken a drink of water and sprayed it across the floor. “You what?!”

“He had on a personal shield. The bullet bounced off. I threw him off the Ops deck too. He didn’t even feel the impact.”

Cam laughed and John joined in. It felt good to be able to laugh out loud and not have dozens of eyes staring at you.

After they had finished dessert, John found himself being prodded towards the bed. Cam covered it with a couple of towels as John undressed then pushed John down onto it on his stomach. John crossed his arms and rested his head atop them and closed his eyes. He felt Cam settle across his thighs and heard the pop of a plastic bottle then smelled vanilla and sandalwood. He opened his eyes, raised his head, and shifted to look at Cam. “Where …?”

“Medicine cabinet. These guest rooms come fully stocked with essentials.” Cam replied as he pushed John’s head back onto the pillow. “Now relax and let my magic fingers have their way with you.”

“I’d rather a different part have its way with me.”

A heavy weight pressed him down as Cam leaned forward to whisper in his ear. “That can be arranged if you’re good.” John shook as Cam sat back. His cock was definitely interested and he had to raise a little for it to straighten. Goosebumps popped on his shin and he shivered when Cam trickled oil down his spine. The shivers turned to moans as Cam’s strong hands sought out and ruthlessly pummeled his knotted muscles into submission.

John was limp and floating when Cam finished and decided to start on a different part. More oil dribbled down the crack of his ass and one of Cam’s fingers collected it and used the oil to loosen the muscles around his anus. His knowing finger stroked and teased before dipping in to spread the oil further. A rustling sound intruded then another pop and John felt fingers coated in something thicker enter his body as Cam eased two inside his ass.

“God, you are tight. You weren’t kidding when you said it had been awhile.”

John didn’t answer, lost in enjoying what Cam’s fingers were doing. He didn’t feel like spoiling the mood by telling Cam that the last person to put a cock in his ass had been Nancy. Everything since then had been hand jobs, blow jobs, and some occasional frottage. When Cam slipped a third finger in and started tagging his prostate, his brain stuttered. When Cam pulled out, John raised his head and growled with frustration.

“Shhh, I’ve got ya.” Cam leaned forward and kissed him. “Roll over.” Between the two of them, they got John rolled onto his back.

Cam picked up a foil packet and opened it. John watched with anticipation as Cam rolled the condom onto his hard length. “I’ve had plenty of one-nighters and I’ve always fucked them from behind because face to face was too personal.” Cam spread more lube along his shaft then wiped his hands off. “You mean more than that. I would want you without the bond.” Cam spread his legs further as he lined his cock up with John’s hole. “I never believed in love at first sight until I met you.”

John flexed when he felt the head of Cam’s cock press inwards to make the entry smoother. Cam paused and John wiggled to take more of his length in but Cam pulled back.

“Easy. Let me pleasure you and show you how much I love you.”

Cam’s words washed over John and he quit wriggling. John clenched the bed sheets in his fists, his breathing changing to panting as Cam pressed inwards in short strokes, each time sinking deeper into John’s body until their balls met. Cam paused and John was grateful. He had never felt this full and a few more of those strokes and he would have come. The break gave them both time for the fires to ebb.

“Cam.”

Cam clamped onto John’s hips as he started moving, his strokes long and slow. John closed his eyes as the endorphins entered his system.

“Look at me, John.”

John opened his eyes, hazel gone to green, and locked onto Cam’s blue ones.

“God, your eyes are gorgeous. I want to watch you watching me as I fuck you.”

“Mmmm.” John couldn’t even pretend to be turned off by that.

John’s control slipped as Cam increased his speed. The moans and gasps that escaped his throat spurred Cam on and he pushed John’s legs forward and changed his angle, tagging John’s prostate with every stroke.

“Cam, oh god, oh god, yes! I’m gonna …”

Cam shifted once more and John felt a wave of heat start at the base of his spine and travel through his body. His eyes rolled back in response as the pleasure overwhelmed him and he came, hot streaks striping his chest. Cam’s rhythm faltered and John felt him tense as he came in spurts. He fucked John as he shot his full load until he collapsed across his chest, heedless of the sticky mess he was lying in.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Cam waited until his heart rate had slowed before pulling out and staggering to the bathroom. He returned with a wet washcloth and a towel and cleaned John off. John watched him, his eyes mere slits as sleep crept over him. He finished and leaned back to stand, but John grabbed his hand.

“Mmmm, thank you.”

Cam ducked his head. “It was my pleasure.”

John chuckled, the sound rich enough to wrap up in on a cold Kansas night. “Oh, I think some of that was mine.”

“So, where do we go from here?”

“Well, if I go back to Atlantis …”

Cam slapped John on the thigh. “Quit talking like that. That’s what my Grandma called a self-fulfilling prophecy.”

“But…”

Cam shook his head and tightened his grip on John’s hand. “No buts. Listen, Weir likes you right?”

John nodded.

“And O’Neill likes you.”

“I don’t know about that.” John tensed and Cam was sorry that all those good sex endorphins were being wasted.

“I can tell. He isn’t here much, but I’ve been around him enough to pick up when he’s displeased. You impressed him with your flying and I know he doesn’t recruit lightly. People that O’Neill doesn’t like don’t last long around here.” Cam took a deep breath. “After we received the data burst from Atlantis and the brass went through the reports, a lot of them were released onto the servers. Mission reports get read more than the Bible around here, and yours were very popular.”

John grimaced. “Well, I wish they’d kept one classified.”

Cam jiggled their joined hands. “That’s a choice any of us could have been called to make. That you did has earned you a lot of respect.”

“And a lot of enemies. Everett had a chip on his shoulder the size of Mount Rushmore.”

Cam grimaced at John’s mention of Colonel Everett. “From what I know of him, he’d have disliked you even if the Keeper had killed Sumner. You’re not a Marine and you took Sumner’s place. But enough of that. I didn’t give you a massage and fuck you into the mattress so you could get all tense again. We’ve both had a crappy week and all I want to do right now is wrap myself around you and forget it ever happened.” He stood and went to the room’s small dresser and pulled open a few drawers until he found John’s sleep clothes and took a set for himself.

While he had his back turned, John had grabbed the set Cam had removed and slipped them on. He got up and wobbled to the bathroom. Cam stripped the towels from the bed and tossed them in the laundry basket. He straightened the covers and decided to check on John. He found him standing in front of the mirror, head bowed. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

“It suddenly hit me that I almost lost you before I really got the chance to know you,” John said morosely.

Cam took him by the shoulders and turned John to face him. He placed a finger under John’s chin and drew his chin up so he could look in his eyes. “You’re not getting rid of me that easy. We Mitchells are made of sterner stuff than that.”

“Glad to hear it,” John said.

“Damn straight.” Cam shifted his hands to cradle John’s jaw. “Now get this into that brain I know you have: you are stuck with me. I’ve had some less than satisfying relationships in the past too, ya know. I cannot imagine being with anyone else. Hell, if it weren't for DADT, I’d marry you.”

“Cam.” John breathed his name out like a caress.

Cam closed the distance between them and brushed his lips against John’s. John responded by capturing Cam’s lips before they could retreat and wrapping his arms around his lover. Cam shifted his hands to cup John’s head and deepened the kiss. After a few minutes, they broke for air, both gasping with the intensity of their feelings. “Now, since we’ve both had a week from Hell, we are going to curl up and ignore anything short of an invasion.”

“Sounds good,” John said.

Cam was glad to see John’s good humor restored as they crawled into bed. He turned the lamp off and wrapped his arms around John. He knew when the other pilot fell asleep as the underlying tension in his frame dissipated. Cam closed his eyes and let the sound of John’s gentle breaths lull him into slumber.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Cam woke first and took the opportunity to check his mate out. John was gorgeous in his eyes. He probably had to beat women off with a stick. Long lashes that covered changeable hazel green eyes, full lips and soft thick hair that made his fingers itch to run through it combined with a firm jaw, a keen intelligence, slightly pointed ears, and a body that a lot of men would die for. Cam placed himself at the head of that line, but he would die to protect instead of possess.

The next hurdle in their relationship was going to be introducing John to the rest of the Mitchell Clan. He had a hunch that his Momma and Dad knew he was hitting for both teams although they’d never said anything. Getting the family to accept John was going to be easy. Getting John to not run screaming for the hills was going to be the hard part. To make things easier, he decided to start by finding out how John was with crowds and with touching as his family was definitely touchy-feely.

Movement heralded his mate’s wakening and Cam had on a big grin when John opened his eyes. “Morning handsome.”

John blinked and rubbed his eyes. “Morning.” He leaned in for a kiss which Cam was all too happy to deliver. John groaned as he sat up and stretched.

Cam eyed him anxiously. “How do you feel?”

“Stiff.” John groaned again as he climbed out of bed and stretched some more. “I haven’t gotten to go running in over a week.”

“Do you like to run indoors or out?”

“Outside usually ‘cause there are terrain differences. I’ll run on a treadmill only as a last resort.”

Cam smiled. “Well, we can use the Marine’s obstacle course. They don’t like going to Petersen and staying under the Mountain all the time gets oppressive so General Hammond had a course built nearby. They use it for tryouts for new recruits too.”

Cam felt a warm, fluttery feeling in his chest when John smiled back. They took care of their morning ablutions then Cam went to his small room to get his own gear while John dressed.

Twenty minutes later they were warming up and watching a group of Marines wrestling in the cool morning air. The soldiers gave the two pilots odd looks as they started their runs, but didn’t interfere.

Running for the sheer pleasure of it felt right to Cam. It allowed him to focus on the day ahead while shunting aside worries. He’d had to do enough of it during rehab that he’d almost grown to hate it, but once that was done he’d rediscovered his enjoyment of it. He glanced over at John and figured he ran to clear his mind, or at least that’s the feeling he got from the blank look in the other man’s eyes.

Cam shook his head as John slowed again to let him catch up. “Don’t let me keep you.”

John shook his head. “It doesn’t feel right for me to leave you.”

“John, go.” Cam made a shooing motion. “I have to pace myself because of my old injuries. If I have to run all out, I hurt for days afterward.”

“Well, if you’re sure …”

Cam laughed. “Go, I’ll be fine. Momma taught me to yell really loud if a stranger tries anything.”

John took off and Cam observed him as he finished his circuit. John ran another and Cam wondered where he got the energy although John was five years his junior.

They were cooling down when the Marines started on the obstacle course. In the time-honored tradition of rivalry between the armed forces, Cam and John made very loud remarks about the supposed agility of the Marines. They did keep the comments friendly since these were SGC Marines.

“If you think you can do better, zoomies, let’s see it.” One of the Marines, a Sergeant Walker yelled.

Cam shook his head, unwilling to possibly embarrass himself, but John stood.

“What terms?”

“One of us” and the Sergeant poked a thumb at the rest of his group “against you. Loser buys the winner a case of his favorite beer.”

“You’re on,” John said as he walked towards the Marines.

“John?” Cam called, worry coloring his voice.

John turned and gave him a wink. “I’ll be fine.”


	8. Bugged

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back! Thanks for all the lovely kudos and comments!
> 
> Thanks to DorothyOz for her awesome beta!

“I still cannot believe you beat that guy.”

John smirked as they walked back to the residential section. “Remember, the entire contingent on Atlantis, with the exception of me and some support personnel, is Marines.” He peered around to make sure they were alone. “I also have an advantage. I have three times their training.”

John watched Cam’s face as he thought it through.

“Oh my, I forgot you said you were bl…, uh Special Ops.” Cam said.

“Yep. You’re one of a handful of people who are alive that know.”

“I feel so fortunate.” Cam drawled.

“You are. If I didn’t love you so much, I’d have to kill you.”

They paused outside John’s quarters. “I’ll go get showered and dressed and meet you at the checkpoint.” Cam said. “Don’t forget to snag McKay.”

“Okay.” John leaned in and gave Cam a light kiss. “See you soon.” After their run and breakfast, Cam had taken John to see the sights of Colorado Springs. They’d found a go-kart track and had a blast, especially on the scale Formula One track. Before he hopped in the shower, John called Rodney.

“McKay.”

“Hey. Get dressed. We’re going to movie night.”

“Movie night? With whom?”

“Cam invited us.”

“And you’re just now asking me?” Rodney groused. “I am a busy man, you know.”

John sighed. “Yes, Rodney, I do know. I also know that you haven’t left the mountain since we arrived.”

“Fine.” Rodney huffed. “Who else is coming? ‘Cause if I have to sit there and watch you and your boyfriend, I’ll pass. And that’s another thing, why didn’t you tell me?”

John took a deep breath and released it slowly. “Rodney, I’ve kept it a secret since I was in my teens. I’ve had a few lovers and a lot of quickies, but I knew I had to keep it quiet if I wanted to fly and the call of the sky was more important than the risk of getting caught.” John paused. “And to answer your question, Teal’c, Vala, and Daniel. Carter and O’Neill might show up too.”

“Sam’s coming?” John smiled. If Rodney were a dog his ears would’ve perked up.

“Cam said they might.”

“Where are we meeting?” Rodney asked.

“At the checkpoint. Cam’s driving.”

“See you there.”

John pulled the receiver back and stared at it as the line went dead. “Bye to you too.”

John showered and put on a new pair of black jeans with an emerald green microsuede shirt over a black t-shirt and black boots. Cam and Rodney were waiting when he arrived.

“Waiting long?”

Cam shook his head. “Nah.”

Cam had on blue jeans and a navy blue flannel shirt over a white tee. Rodney had on khakis and two t-shirts, one long-sleeved under a short sleeved that read “I’m with genius” with an arrow that pointed upwards. John just shook his head and smiled.

They signed out and made their way to Cam’s car. Rodney groaned when he saw the black Mustang.

“Oh god, we’re gonna die!”

“No, we won’t. Cam is an excellent driver.” John defended his mate.

“He’s a pilot. You’re all insane.”

John looked at Cam and they both shrugged.

“That insanity has kept you alive.” John reminded him.

“And it almost got you killed a few weeks ago.” Rodney countered.

“John?” Cam reached out and stopped him.

“I was piloting a jumper with a nuclear warhead aboard into a Wraith Hive ship. I was in the mouth of the launch bay when the Daedalus arrived and beamed me out seconds before the warhead exploded.”

“We thought you were dead!”

“Rodney, I did what I thought was right and I’d do it again if I had to,” John said.

“Well, if Everett had listened to you and not played all his cards in the beginning, you wouldn’t have had to.”

“Rodney, it’s done. Let’s go eat pizza, drink beer, and watch some good movies.”

“Alright.” Rodney agreed.

To soothe Rodney’s feelings, John sat in the back seat so neither he nor Cam would be tempted. Cam frowned when John slid into the back, but there was nothing he could say. The trip to Cam’s apartment was thirty minutes and John was grateful he was in the back. Rodney grabbed the ‘oh shit’ bar over the door every time Cam got near a corner and Cam was glaring at John in the rearview mirror. John was amused, but he was also getting an echo of feelings of irritation. He sat back and analyzed the feeling. It wasn’t his. At the next traffic light, he decided to try an experiment and sent a pulse of love towards the source of the irritation. Cam looked up and caught his gaze and gave him a smile that warmed John to his toes.

Daniel, Vala, and Teal’c were already there when they arrived. John and Cam had bought the beer and sodas while they were out earlier so they were in a big cooler Cam kept for team nights and ice cold. They had also bought popcorn and some other snacks.

The rest of SG-1 met them at the door.

“I called the pizzas in after you called that you were leaving. They should be here in twenty minutes.” Daniel said.

“How many did you get?” Cam asked.

“Twelve large, half with pepperoni, two meat lovers, and four supreme,” Daniel told him.

“That sounds like enough. You know I can eat a whole large.” Rodney said.

Daniel rolled his eyes. “Yes, Rodney, I do remember.”

They entered and everyone got comfy. Carter and O’Neill showed at the same time the pizzas did. Cam reached for his wallet, but O’Neill beat him to it. Teal’c and Daniel helped the driver unload the pizzas.

John stood as Carter and O’Neill stepped inside. “General, Colonel.”

O’Neill shook his head. “No ranks during team outings. It’s just Jack and Sam. Or O’Neill if you can’t manage Jack just yet.” John opened his mouth and Jack held up his hand. “And no sir’s either. Got it?”

“Yes, s … J… O’Neill.”

Jack smiled and slapped John on the shoulder. “Great! We’ll get along really well.”

Cam started the first movie after everyone picked a perch, which was _Independence Day_.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

 _Independence Day_ was a hit. Teal’c had seen it before, but Vala had not. Mitchell had felt that it portrayed the American spirit nicely, especially the attitudes of the fighter pilots. Rodney had seen him look over at Sheppard and received an answering nod in return. He knew, given the same situation they’d have both been butt in the seat in a heartbeat.

The second movie was _Men in Black II_. They all laughed hilariously through the movie. Rodney managed to restrain himself from nitpicking the science like he’d done during _Back to the Future_.

As the pizzas and beers disappeared, everyone sprawled out. Towards the end, Sheppard had leaned into Mitchell, his head resting on Mitchell’s shoulder, the beer and good company finally relaxing him. An occasional mutter escaped, but Sheppard was quiet and Mitchell let him doze. Rodney was happy to see his friend happy. He still wished Sheppard had trusted him enough to confide, but he understood why he didn’t. He’d seen similar confessions go either way when he was in college. Sometimes a relationship bloomed, but other times it soured a real friendship.

The third movie was a different story. Vala picked _The Mummy_.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Cam thought John was asleep on his shoulder until the Medjai dumped the scarab beetles into the coffin with the still-living Imhotep. John’s scream blended with Imhotep’s as he launched off the couch, clawing at his neck as he ran from the room. The bathroom door slamming told where John had gone to ground.

“What the fuck?”

McKay had hit pause soon as John shot from the sofa, an expression of horror on his face.

“The sound probably reminded him of the Iratus you-know-what,” McKay told him.

“What the hell is an Iratus?” Cam demanded as he pushed against the fear emanating from John.

“It’s a bug the length of your forearm that’s related to the Wraith. Sheppard got bit by one a few weeks after we arrived in Atlantis. Its venom causes excruciating pain followed by paralysis. Ford had to stop his heart to make it let go,” McKay informed them. “Ever since that incident, no one in the city uses the word bug anymore. The last person that did it became the first member of Atlantis’ Polar Bear Club.”

“Go, Mitchell. Sheppard needs you.” Jack said.

Cam went, not that he needed Jack’s urging. The pain and terror reverberating through their bond was making him homicidal. He padded to the door and laid his hands on it. “John, it’s me. Can I come in?” He called softly.

There was no response so Cam took that as assent and tested the knob. The door was unlocked, thankfully. If it had been locked he’d have been forced to pick the lock or have Teal’c knock it down, neither of which he wanted to do. The sound of running water greeted him as he eased the door open. Cam slipped inside and shut the door behind him. If John needed the illusion of safety the door could provide then he’d be damned if he took it away. His bathroom was not large, but it took a moment to find John. He was huddled in the tub, the shower turned on full blast and ice cold. The chill coming through their link was so strong Cam had the urge to check his nails to see if they were blue.

Cam knelt by the tub, careful not to startle John. He was curled into himself so tightly Cam’s joints ached in sympathy, clawing at his neck in an attempt to dislodge something. He dug deep and tried to recall how his Dad had talked to the dogs when they got spooked. “John, can I turn the water off?”

“Th-they d-d-don’t l-like w-w-w-water.”

“There are none here. If any try to come in, my team will get them.”

“I h-h-heard them.”

Cam shook his head and eased towards the faucet. “That was a movie. Remember, we’re having movie night?”

“A m-m-movie?”

“We were watching _The Mummy_.” Cam watched as John’s brow furrowed in remembrance of the film. He stretched and slowly turned the icy spray off. He stood and pulled John with him. “We need to get you out of these wet clothes.” John nodded and he started shaking as the adrenaline in his system faded. Cam cursed and fumbled with the buttons in the sopping wet shirt, but he came out victorious and dropped it in the tub. He tugged the t-shirt off, draped a towel across John’s shoulders, and manhandled him from the tub to sitting on the floor. Once he was seated, Cam removed the rest of John’s soaked clothes and tossed them into the tub with his shirts before wrapping another towel around him.

The floor creaked and John tensed beneath his hands. “Shh, it’s alright.”

“Cam, do you need anything?”

Cam was thrilled to hear Sam’s voice through the door. She was smart enough to know that they needed, or at least John needed, the privacy. “Yeah, some more towels.”

His wish was granted a moment later as Sam emptied his closet of every towel in it. She opened the door just enough to throw the towels in, and then closed it leaving them alone again. “Thanks, Sam.”

“Call if you need anything else,” Sam said then moved away.

Cam snatched a towel and dried John’s hair then tossed it aside as he draped a fresh towel over his damp spikes before rubbing him dry. When the first cloth became wet, Cam shoved it into a corner and grabbed another. As he grew warm, John relaxed and rested his weight against Cam.

“Feel better?” Cam asked.

“I feel like an idiot. Hotshot black ops pilot afraid of a bunch of damn bugs.”

Cam shifted until he could see John’s face. “Hey, we all have things that scare the crap out of us. McKay gave us the extremely short version of the incident. You’re lucky you survived.”

John snorted and dropped his gaze. “I’m sure O’Neill will think twice about sending me back to Atlantis after this. I can’t even watch a movie without having a panic attack.”

“John.” Cam shook him until he raised his head. “Jack is not going to hold this against you. We’ve had people wash out of the Stargate program for less. You haven’t let it stop you and Jack respects that.”

A knock sounded at the door and the devil, in the form of Jack O’Neill poked his head through. “Came to check on you, see how you’re doing.”

John rubbed the back of his neck beneath the layers of towels Cam had layered over him. “Feeling stupid.”

Jack eased into the bathroom and shut the door then crouched beside the pair. “Listen, the doors in this place aren’t thick and I heard what both of you said. Mitchell’s right – I’m not going to hold a panic attack against you. I’ve had my own freakouts. Being in the same room with an unbonded Goa’uld symbiote makes me want to run for the hills. I’ve been a host and the process hurt. A lot. I’d rather deal with a compound fracture than go through the process again.”

John’s shoulders hunched as he drew in on himself. “It’s not the same.”

Jack knelt and clasped John’s near arm. “It’s exactly the same. The Goa’uld wraps around your brain stem and takes control of your body. You can yell, curse, and scream all you want, but as long as that snake is in control none of that will pass your lips. You are helpless. I read the report and I understand. You had that damn giant … tick, to use your nickname, digging into your neck and you couldn’t do a damn thing to help. Being in that position sucked, but you haven’t let it stop you.”

John opened his mouth, but Cam placed a hand across his lips. “He’s right.”

“But …”

Cam shook his head. “No buts. We all wake up screaming on occasion. I still have nightmares about that crash in Antarctica. In some of them, you find my bloody corpse because the bear got me first. In others, I never recover and wind up watching the world from a wheelchair.” Cam wrapped his arms around John and pulled him close.

“I still have nightmares about shit that happened twenty years ago,” Jack added. “The key is how you deal with it.”

John took a deep breath and released it slowly. “You’re right. I know shit happens. I just …”

“You’re tired, stressed, and coping with stuff we had no way to foresee before we sent the Expedition to Atlantis.” Jack finished for him. “Get some rest and you’ll feel better.”

John nodded. “I will.”

Jack turned to Cam. “Mitchell, take good care of him.”

“Yes sir.”

Jack stood and left.

“We need to get you dressed.” John just nodded. “Do you want to watch more of the movie?”

“No.”

Concern touched Cam. John was not a talkative person, but monosyllabic answers were not his norm. Cam stood and hoisted John to his feet so he could finish drying him. He reached back and snagged his robe off the back of the door and dressed John in it. He opened the door and checked both ways before leading John out and into the bedroom. He fished out sleep clothes and tucked John into bed once he was clothed.

Cam leaned over and kissed John deeply. “Get some sleep. I’ll leave the door open a crack.”

“Thanks.” John breathed out. “I’m not usually like this.”

“I know. Remember, we all have times when the world gets to be too much. We both know the cost of war. We both know what it does to your soul, how it scrapes off little pieces and makes us do things we wouldn’t consider in another place or time. That’s why we need each other – to remind us of who we are.”

“Love conquers all, huh?”

“Yep. Now good night, sleep tight and don’t let the bed b… Wraith bite,” Cam told him with a wink.

“Bed Wraith. Interesting.” John paused for a head-splitting yawn. “Remind me to get McKay to whip up some P-90 Wraith repellent.” He yawned again and lost ground in the war with his eyelids. “Love you.”

“Love you too.”

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Cam rejoined their guests and grabbed a fresh beer.

“How’s Sheppard?” McKay asked.

“He’s asleep. Jack and I managed to calm him.”

“Good. He handles it pretty well most of the time.”

“I’m sorry that I caused a problem,” Vala said, her head downcast.

Cam started to reassure her that John’s lapse was not her fault, but McKay beat him to it.

“It’s not your fault. He’s been running on coffee and fumes for a while now and it’s finally caught up to him. If we had watched it first, he’d have been fine,” McKay told her.

Jack yawned and stretched. “Well, I think we should call it a night.” He looked at Cam. “I presume the guest room is ready?”

Cam nodded. “We cleaned it up earlier.”

Without another word, Jack gave Cam a nod then he and Sam slipped from the room.

Vala sprawled in her nest of pillows and was soon asleep. Daniel was ensconced in the recliner, his nose deep in a book.

“I am well, Cameron Mitchell,” Teal’c intoned.

“McKay, cot or couch?” Cam watched in amusement as various emotions flitted across McKay’s face.

“Um, well, I have a bad back and …”

“The couch then. It may not look like much, but I had the cushions replaced. It’s as firm as a therapeutic mattress.”

“Really?” McKay walked over and bounced on the sofa. “I’ll take it.”

“Kinda thought you might.”

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Cam startled awake, unsure what had awakened him. He was about to drop off again when he was jostled from behind. He rolled over and captured John’s wrists as the other pilot lashed out.

“John!”

In the dim light, Cam could see the moment John woke from the nightmare.

“Cam?”

“I’m here. Nightmare?”

He heard John swallow. “Yeah. So…”

Cam shook John gently. “Don’t you dare apologize,” He said as he released John’s wrists. “Wanna talk?”

The bed shifted as John sat up. “I’m not very good at talking.”

“You were good at it that night in the infirmary.”

“That was drugs.”

“Bullshit.” Cam shifted and wrapped his arms around John. John tensed at the touch, his entire frame stiffening. “I’m not going to let go. You can talk or not, makes me no difference.”

They sat in the warm darkness, not saying anything. The tension eventually melted from John’s body and he let his head fall back onto Cam’s shoulder. The first words were halting and sounded as if they were dragged from the depths of his soul. The longer he spoke, the easier the words and occasional bouts of tears flowed as if those first words were the plug of a dam. Cam asked the occasional question but did nothing to disrupt the flow of words.

When John finally went quiet, his voice hoarse and rough, Cam eased from the bed and glanced through the parted curtains. The sky outside had the softness that comes before dawn. He returned a moment later with a glass of water and two small pills. John took the water and looked askance at the tablets.

“Ambien. They’ll help you sleep.”

John swallowed the pills and drained the glass then stretched out beneath the covers. Cam sat beside him and reached out to run his hand through John’s thick hair. He had no idea what instinct had prompted the gesture, but it had an effect on John. John let out a deep sigh and melted into the mattress, his eyes closing as his breathing evened out.

Cam glanced at the clock then back down at the gorgeous, messy-haired man lying in the bed. “Fuck it.” He stood and closed the curtains before crawling back onto the bed and wrapping himself around his flyboy.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Jack and Sam were in the kitchen fixing breakfast when Cam stumbled in.

“Ah, it lives.”

Cam glared at Jack as he headed for the coffee and offered him a one-fingered salute.

“Jack,” Sam admonished.

Jack shrugged and started dividing up the food. “Where’s John?”

“He’s still asleep and I will hurt anyone that wakes him,” Cam growled.

Sam and Jack traded looks that spoke volumes. “Rough night?” Sam asked.

“Yeah. He had a nightmare. I woke him before it got too bad.”

Sam nodded. “That’s good.”

“Got him to open up and talk to me,” Cam said as he took a swallow of coffee. He shook his head as he recalled some of the things John had said. “Some of the shit he told me make the Taliban sound like disciples of Mr. Rogers.” He looked up at his friends. “The Wraith are most sincerely fucked up.”

Silence reigned for a moment as Sam carried the plates into the living room.

“Hey, I got an idea. Can we give the Wraith the coordinates to the Ori’s home galaxy?”

Jack stopped eating and peered at Cam. “Do you really want to face Wraith Priors if the Ori turn out to be stronger?”

A shiver coursed down Cam’s back. “Um, no. The Priors are bad enough as they are.”

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Dim sunlight greeted John as he drifted awake. He lay still, reveling in the feeling of peace wrapped around his soul. He remembered the nightmare and Cam waking him before it got too bad. He remembered talking until he was hoarse, telling Cam the things that weren’t in his reports. Cam had held him and listened without passing judgment on him or his actions. He’d been mostly asleep when Cam had spooned him. The warmth of the other man’s body finished the process and he’d fallen asleep knowing his partner had his back.

He rolled over and Cam’s scent filled his nose at the same time as he felt him coming down the hall. John shifted so he faced the door as it opened to admit Cam.

“Sleeping Beauty has awakened,” Cam said with a grin.

“Fuck you, Cam.”

Cam wagged his finger at John. “Not right now, honey; we have guests.”

John glared at him. “Honey? You’ll pay for that.”

Cam held out his hand. “Will this do as payment?”

John looked at the sweating blue can and cocked his head in thought. “Mmm, I guess.” John peered up at Cam, a mischievous glint in his eye as he sat up and took the can. “It’s hard to stay mad at you when you’re so darn cute.”

“Cute?!”

John smirked, his revenge complete. He popped the top and took a healthy swig. “Yep, cute.” John took another swig from the cold can and set it on the nightstand before he reached over and grabbed Cam’s hand and tugged him onto the bed.

Cam collapsed across him with a sharp yelp of surprise. John took advantage of his surprise to roll them over so Cam was pinned on the bottom.

“You haven’t given me my good morning kiss yet.”

Blue eyes looked up and met his hazel-green. “Well, I’ll have to remedy that. Can’t be accused of neglecting you.”

Cam reached up and cupped John’s face, the heat from his hands caused John to close his eyes as Cam’s lips met his. The kiss started gentle but soon turned deeper as their tongues met once again, shy as they were at their first meeting. That changed when Cam shifted one of his hands and gripped John’s hair. The tug got John’s pulse racing and he opened his mouth wider, allowing Cam more access as he tried in turn to devour Cam. They rolled as they kissed, each seeking the upper hand in the contest.

They finally broke the kiss and John looked into Cam’s eyes. His pupils were blown and his lips were swollen from the kiss. He imagined his were in the same condition.

John licked his lips and savored the taste of his mate. “Mmmm, I could make a meal out of you.”

Cam glanced up at him. “So why don’t you?”

At that moment, John’s stomach growled loudly as it protested the lack of food. John dropped his head onto Cam’s chest in embarrassment as Cam let out a chuckle.

“Why don’t you hop in the shower and I’ll fix you lunch?” Cam said.

John rolled and sat up. “That sounds good. What’s for lunch?”

“The kosher deli meats we bought yesterday.”

“Roast beef, pastrami, and Swiss cheese on a Kaiser roll with mayo and a little bit of horseradish and a couple of slices of pickle on top.”

Cam shook his head as he crinkled his nose. “I don’t understand how you can eat horseradish.”

“It’s an acquired taste. Besides, it balances out the meats and cheese.” John’s stomach voiced another protest. He pointed at it. “You heard it. Get a move on.”

“Yes Sir, Mr. Stomach, Sir,” Cam kissed him as he left, taking the Pepsi with him.

Ten minutes later, John stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel. A knock sounded at the door, so he wrapped a towel around his waist and cracked the door open. He leaned over and got a face full of fabric. “Hey!”

“Oh, sorry!” Sam said from the other side.

John accepted the bundle and recognized his own clothes. “You washed my clothes?”

“Jack did. He thought you’d be more comfortable.”

“I was gonna borrow some of Cam’s.”

Sam snorted. “Cam is two inches taller and outweighs you.”

John grinned. “Yeah, not my style. Tell him thanks.”

“I will. And you better hurry – McKay was eying your sandwich.”

“Just remind him that mayo has lemon in it. He won’t get within six feet of it.”

Sam’s laughter echoed down the hall as he shut the door. Ten minutes later, he stepped out dry and dressed although his hair was still damp and he was barefoot. He padded down the hallway and dropped his socks on top of his boots.

“Well, Sleeping Beauty has decided to join us.”

“Still trying to steal my sandwich, Rodney?”

“That stack of death on a plate? No thank you.”

John smirked at the Canadian. The sandwich Cam had fixed him was on a plate adorned with two pickle spears sitting on the coffee table beside his Pepsi and a bag of regular Ruffles. Rodney was as far away from it as he could be and still be in the same room.

“Geez, McKay, it’s a sandwich not an atomic bomb,” Cam said.

“To me it might as well be a bomb,” Rodney stated.

John dropped onto the sofa beside Cam and picked up his plate. “So which game are we watching?”

“My alma mater versus Stanford.”

John looked at the screen and checked out the uniforms. He shot a sideways glare at Cam as he picked up his sandwich. “You went to the University of Kansas?”

“What’s wrong with that?” Cam asked with mock outrage.

“My alma mater is kicking their ass,” John said with a smirk as he took his first bite.

Cam turned to Daniel. “Daniel, is it too late to break the bond? I can’t be with someone that went to Stanford.”

Daniel peered at his team leader over the rim of his glasses. “Only if you haven’t had sexual intercourse.”

John felt his ears grow hot and could see the red creep up Cam’s neck.

Daniel smirked at the sight. “I rest my case.”

“Oh God!” Rodney said. “I need to bleach my eyeballs! I did not want to know that.”

John decided on a bit of misdirection. He swallowed and took a sip from his soda. “Oh, like I wanted a detailed recital of the attributes of every blond scientist in the Mountain starting with Sam?”

Jack and Sam glared at Rodney while everyone else broke into gales of laughter as Rodney tried to dig himself out of the metaphorical hole John had pushed him into.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Jack and Sam left before dinner as did Vala and Teal’c. Rodney rode back with the two aliens since they were going back to the Mountain.

Cam cast admiring glances at John now that they were alone. He loved team nights, but right now he wanted John all to himself. He took advantage of John’s attention being on the game to ogle him as he lay in the recliner. His black jeans accented his long legs while the tight black tee showed off his muscular chest. The green outer shirt softened the broadness of John’s shoulders while it highlighted his eyes and brought out the green in them.

He thought about something Jack had mentioned and decided to do something about it. Instead of telling John and persuading him to go shopping, Cam decided to make it a surprise. He’d already given John keys to the apartment and to his car so having some of John’s things here was no big deal. He didn’t have any missions until Wednesday, so there was plenty of time to enact his plan.

They went out for dinner and swung by Cheyenne to pick up an overnight bag for John. Cam had a hunch as to what was going to happen and he figured he’d better keep John distracted.

He picked a new sports bar that had opened nearby called Digger’s. The hostess made a point of checking the two of them out, but John was oblivious to her. When their waitress came, she made a point of flirting outrageously with both of them. Cam watched as John poured on the charm and played the game with her, but he was secure in knowing that’s all it was to John – a game, nothing more. The waitress, Bobbie, frowned slightly as John kept his eyes firmly on her face instead of talking to her ample bosom, but Cam put it from his mind.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

John was enjoying himself. Cam was attentive, caring, and sexy in a farm boy way. He was glancing around at the sports memorabilia adorning the walls when motion caught his attention. Their waitress had been gone about ten minutes when Cam stood and said he needed to use the restroom. John nodded and Cam let his hand trail along John’s arm as he passed. John shivered at the contact. He turned and watched Cam as he walked away, noting the man’s graceful movements and wondering what it would be like to have all of that power beneath him. He felt his ears heat up as he imagined Cam beneath him, writhing in pleasure as John filled him. He quickly focused his thoughts elsewhere before his body gave him away.

John allowed his gaze to check out the rest of the restaurant’s occupants. Military haircuts and attitudes abounded at most of the tables, with more military personnel waiting for tables and seated along the bar. Most he recognized from the SGC’s halls. A figure stepped in front of him and blocked his view of the room.

“We don’t want your kind here.”

John shifted into assessment mode and plastered on his ‘meet-the-natives’ face even as his stomach started doing a slow boil and he tightened his shields. “And what type would that be?”

“You know what I mean,” the man, whose nametag pronounced him to be Mark the assistant manager, hissed in anger.

“Look, we just came in to have dinner. Bring us our food and we’ll take it to go.”

“Kitchen’s closed to your type.” Mark turned to their waitress who had just walked up, their meals on a tray she was carefully balancing in her arms. “Take that back to the kitchen, Bobbie.”

“But Mark,” Bobbie began.

“You heard me.”

Bobbie backed away, clearly unhappy.

The polite smile slid from his face as he stood and forced the other man back, eyes gone cold. “Either that food appears on this table in thirty seconds or you’ll have plenty of empty tables in a minute.”

Mark crossed his arms and shook his head. “Not gonna happen, fag.”

“Last I checked, this was a free country and discrimination was illegal. Now, whether we are or aren’t, you can’t refuse to serve us.”

Mark lifted his lip in a sneer. “We can refuse to serve anyone we wish.”

John shook his head as he drew on lessons from his childhood. “You can only legally refuse service if we are disruptive, disorderly, or drunk. Since we fall under none of those, you are breaking the law if you continue this course of action.”

“I saw what went on between you and … him.”

John couldn’t believe this guy. One innocent touch and this guy was freaking out. He wondered what would’ve happened if he had grabbed Cam and kissed him. The only reason he hadn’t was that Jack had told them to be circumspect when in public.

“Last chance. I will declare this … fine establishment a no-go zone. After that, I give it six weeks before the doors close for good. This close to Cheyenne and Peterson, if the military don’t eat here, no one else will either.” John checked the delusional manager out. “Hmm, how sympathetic is your ex gonna be when she doesn’t get her alimony checks.”

Mark paled but decided to stand on his homophobic ideals. “You can’t declare this place off-limits. You’re not military.”

John fished his dog tags out and had the satisfaction of seeing the man’s eyes widen with fear. “Major John Sheppard, United States Air Force.” John spotted Cam across the room as he exited the restroom, but he wanted this done and over with. “What’s it gonna be? Do we get our food or do I declare this place a no-go zone?”

Mark looked around the room. John could tell he was doing the math and realizing how many of his tables were filled with military personnel. His shoulders slumped in defeat. “Fine. You win.” He motioned over his shoulder at Bobbie as he tucked his tail and stalked away.

Cam shot him a questioning look, accompanied by a feeling of curiosity as he regained his seat. John didn’t feel like getting into it while they were still in the restaurant so he shook his head at Cam and thickened his shields further. He spotted the wince from Cam when the bond blanked out, but he was still irritated and he didn’t feel like spilling it onto Cam. He’d had to learn how to shield to mute some of Atlantis’ systems. They had been there a few weeks and started exploring. The feeds from some of the damaged areas had given him constant headaches until he learned to protect himself from them. It had gotten better as they repaired over 10,000 years of neglect, but he still maintained a thin shield around his mind.

His bond with Cam had circumvented his shields, but it only required a minute adjustment to block the bond. He couldn’t close it permanently nor did he want to, but he could treat it like a window and shut the curtains for a time. He’d pay for it later, but right now he didn’t want to be soothed.

They talked about inconsequential things over dinner, which John was thankful for. The headache started towards the end of his meal and steadily gained ground. By the time they were leaving, John was stiff from holding himself still. He leaned the seat back in Cam’s Mustang and let the purr of the motor try to ease the pain. The ride passed in a blur with John realizing they were home when Cam reached over and touched his shoulder. John jerked upright and immediately regretted it as his headache spiked.

“John?” Cam asked, concern making his drawl more distinct.

“’M alrigh’. Jus’ need to sleep.”

“Like hell. You just turned whiter than a sheet,” Cam said. “Now, what’s wrong?”

“Headache.”

“A headache? What brought that on?”

“That asshat at the restaurant,” John told him as he eased his eyes open. “He didn’t want to serve us because we’re gay.”

Cam muttered several choice curses under his breath. “What did you do to him? The guy looked like you’d kicked him in the nuts?”

John chuckled in spite of the pain in his head. “I threatened to declare the place a no-go zone.”

“Ah.”

The car rocked slightly as Cam exited and came around to John’s side.

“C’mon, let’s get you inside or do I need to take you back to the Mountain?”

“Got pills in my kit. Carson gave them to me.”

Cam was silent as he helped John up the stairs and John was grateful.

“Whatever you’re doing to block me is causing this, isn’t it?”

“It’s a side effect of shielding so tightly. According to Carson, my brain needs to breathe,” John told him as they made the turn up the last set of stairs. The apartment door was in sight, which was good as John needed to lie down soon, preferably before the throbbing grew worse and decided to involve his stomach.

“Dammit, John, why did you block me?”

The spikes were getting worse and the light was hurting his eyes. “I didn’t want to give that jackass the satisfaction of knowing his attitude bothered me, and I didn’t want my irritation to spill over on you.”

“That’s what being partners means. It means you have someone to share stuff with whether it’s good or bad,” Cam said softly.

John leaned against the wall as Cam unlocked the door. “I told you I sucked at this.”

Cam got them inside and headed for the master bedroom. “No, you’re too accustomed to hiding and dealing with shit on your own. Next time, just tell me,” Cam said as he eased him onto the bed and pulled his boots off.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Cam waited until John was asleep before he called Jack. After giving John his meds and getting him to relax his shields, Cam had pried the incident from him. The asshat should be grateful that he hadn’t been present when he tried that crap as he’d be missing teeth. Jack listened patiently as Cam explained the situation and promised to see to it that the situation would not be repeated.

After ending the call with Jack, he called the SGC and spoke with Carson Beckett. The doctor confirmed what John had told him; that shielding too tightly caused some kind of feedback loop which gave John sick headaches. The Scottish doctor had proceeded to reel off a long string of medical jargon that boiled down to shields good, tight shields bad. Cam thanked him and hung up.

Cam watched the end of the Boise State and Hawaii game then headed to bed. He made certain that the curtains were drawn tightly. He wanted John to sleep as much as possible. Beckett had said that sleep was the best medicine. Cam lounged beside John for a moment and thought about what had happened between them. He knew John loved him, but there was a lot of pain in his past that would take love and patience to overcome. He stroked John’s dark hair back and planted a soft kiss on his forehead.

“I love you.”


	9. Precious Metals

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! Sorry for the long delay. School and a new job have cut into my writing time, but things are getting better.   
> Thank you all so much for the lovely kudos and comments!  
> Special thanks to my awesome beta, DorothyOz!

Jack watched impassively as his guest twitched awake. He’d been irritated after Mitchell called and related the events at Digger’s. He liked their food and would’ve been … upset if Sheppard had been forced to declare the restaurant a no-go zone. He noticed the twitching had become stronger so Jack started the video camera on a tripod behind him.

“Mmm … what? What the hell is this?” Mark started thrashing where he hung from a stout pine tree.

“This is an intervention,” Jack said as he brightened the lights a bit. “And you might not want to get too active. My friend might drop you.”

Mark twisted and caught a glimpse of a dark-skinned giant holding the other end of the rope attached to his ankles. “Who the hell are you? This is kidnapping!”

Jack shook his head as he drew his combat knife from his belt. “No, this is an intervention. Think of it as me helping you keep your job. As for my name, you can call me … Jack.” Jack smiled at the irony. The hesitation would make the guy think it was a fake name. The camo face paint he’d donned would ensure the guy couldn’t ID him.

“Now, some friends of mine had dinner at Digger’s last night and told me that you tried to toss them out only because you thought they were gay.”

“They are gay! I saw the one caress the other when he left the table.”

Jack stepped closer and brushed his hand along Mark’s arm in an approximation of what Mitchell had done hours ago. “So this is a caress?”

“No! Yes! What the hell does it matter? Let me down!”

“I’m trying to put together the facts,” he said as he twirled his knife while making sure the blade flashed in the light. “So you tried to toss them out solely on the basis of an innocent touch. That’s not very law-abiding of you.” Jack used the point of his knife to slice through the sleeve of Mark’s pajamas.

Mark whimpered and Jack smirked harder.

“From now on,” another slice, this time the other sleeve, “you are going to be the perfect law-abiding citizen.” This time Jack sliced the left pant leg from knee to hip. “If I hear of you looking so much as cross-eyed at any more of my friends, military or civilian, I will have another friend of mine declare the place a no-go zone. That means no military, which is 80 percent of your customers.”

“Digger’s is a nice place. We can refuse service to anyone.”

“You can if they are being disruptive or are drunk. Not on the basis of their supposed sexual orientation.”

“We run a family-oriented restaurant.”

“Really? It’s a sports bar. Last time I checked, that’s not a family atmosphere. I also happen to think that running a family-oriented restaurant is not an excuse to be an asshole.”

Mark spat at Jack. Jack motioned to Teal’c and the Jaffa loosened his grip on the rope and allowed it to slip a bit.

Mark let a small, high-pitched scream giving his fear and surprise away. When his very short free-fall ended, he grimaced as the rope jerked. Jack figured he bit his tongue.

“Now, this is how it’s gonna be. You’re going to keep your opinions to yourself. The military will continue to eat at Digger’s. You will still have a job. I will be happy.”

“You can go fuck yourself!”

Jack shook his head and sliced the other pant leg, making sure he grazed the skin and drew blood.

Mark let out a yelp of pain.

“You really should be careful and remember our little discussion.” Jack flashed the knife in front of Mark’s face and watched as the bigot paled further. “Next time we have to talk, I’ll leave you out here as brunch for the wolves.”

As if on cue, a wolf howled in the distance, followed by another closer.

Mark’s eyes grew wide then he fainted, a spreading wet spot on the front of his pants.

Jack tapped his radio in a pre-arranged signal and Mark was beamed back to his tiny apartment courtesy of the under construction _Apollo_. Teal’c coiled the rope as Jack turned off the video and retrieved the tape player he’d hidden earlier.

“What do you think, T? Think he learned his lesson?”

“It is possible, O’Neill. He shall bear watching to ensure he does not return to his previous bad habits.”

“Well, I’ll have Sam send him a copy of this.”

“Would he not be able to use it against us?”

Jack snorted. “C’mon T, this is Sam Carter we’re talking about. She’ll make sure it’s a secure copy.”

“Indeed.”

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

John surfaced slowly from the depths of sleep and dug his way from beneath the covers. The lack of direct light combined with the stiffness in his body told him he’d slept a long time in mostly the same position. He reached out to the bond he shared with Cam, careful to keep his touch light. Concern for John colored his thoughts, as well as a hint of irritation with a dollop of amusement.

John clambered from the bed at his body’s insistence. It wanted a shower and food and John was happy to oblige. He turned the water on as hot as he could stand it and let the spray loosen his sore muscles. Clean and dry, he stepped back into the bedroom to dress and found Cam seated in the middle of the bed. John ducked his head, unable to look Cam in the eye. “I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“Shutting you out last night. I didn’t want his ugliness to spill over on you. I didn’t want you to get hurt by it.”

Creaking told him Cam had shifted, but he had closed his eyes so he didn’t see him leave the bed or come to stand in front of him until a hand tugged up on his chin.

“John, look at me.”

John resisted and shook his head.

“I’m not mad at you. I’m mad that you got hurt by his actions. Neither of us should have to deal with crap like that.”

“I … I just had to protect you.”

Strong arms wrapped around him and drew him in. John stiffened, hesitant to accept what was being offered. One of Cam’s big, warm hands drifted up to stroke along his back and John relaxed and buried his head in the crook of Cam’s neck.

“I know, baby. It’s who you are. But, it’s who I am too.” Cam pulled back and cupped his face with those strong hands. “Part of being a couple is sharing the good and bad. We are stronger together than apart. Do you understand?”

John’s eyes drifted closed as a flood of love flowed through their bond. “Yes,” he whispered.

“Good.” Cam drew him in for a kiss that spread warmth from his ears to his toes. “Now, let’s go eat and watch some football. They’re televising the Broncos game at 1300.”

“Who’re they playing?” John asked as he dressed.

“The Redskins in Washington.”

They padded into the living room and settled on the couch shoulder to shoulder, sandwiches on their laps, a couple of beers and a big bag of Cheetos on the coffee table in front of them with football on the big screen television. Life was good.

Jake Plummer, the Broncos quarterback, had brought the Denver Broncos back from a fourteen point deficit to win by twenty-one and they were watching the highlights from around the league when a knock sounded at their front door.

John stood and headed to the door. He checked the peephole first, but the scent of freshly grilled steaks was a big clue. He flipped the lock and swung the door wide to allow the members of SG-1 entry.

O’Neill, Sam, Vala, Daniel, and Teal’c traipsed in and John shut the door behind them. Jack stepped aside while the rest headed for the kitchen.

“S … O’Neill, what’s going on?”

“Relax, John. I brought you and Cam a little gift.” Jack reached into his jacket and retrieved a jewel case. “Why don’t you put that in the DVD player and let it load while we divide the food up.”

John accepted the case and went to load the disk. Cam rose and headed for the kitchen to help with the food. Remote in hand, John reclaimed his seat on the sofa to avoid being trampled.

“John, what do you like on your potato?” Cam called from the other room.

“Butter, sour cream, chives, and bacon bits.”

Moments later, Cam handed him a tray before he sat down. Sam circulated through with sodas then returned with her own plate of food and claimed space on the other love seat. Jack sat down beside her with his meal. Teal’c claimed the chair and Vala plopped down on a huge floor pillow.

Seeing everyone ready, John hit play. The image was dark and silent then recognizable voices were heard. The scene brightened to show O’Neill in black BDUs putting on camo face paint. Teal’c stood beside him, also garbed in black, the golden emblem of Apophis hidden beneath a black watch cap. The scene whited out momentarily then brightened to show a man lying on the ground. John and Cam recognized him as the unpleasant manager from Digger’s.

John paused it as O’Neill and Teal’c bound Mark and hoisted him into the air. He had killed and would again, he had tortured enemy combatants for information, but he had no desire to watch a man be tortured or killed simply for being an asshole. He turned and looked at O’Neill, the question in his eyes. “Sir …”

Jack understood the question and nodded, but it was Sam that answered. “It’s alright, John. I’ve seen it and Jack promised that the asshat in question is still alive and in one piece.”

John gave her a half smile and restarted the video. He paid his steak and baked potato some attention while O’Neill and Teal’c waited for Mark to awaken. Soon enough his attention was captured by the events on-screen. He laughed with the rest of them when Teal’c let Mark slip.

“Oooh, such beautiful muscles, Teal’c,” Vala crooned with a wink.

“Indeed.” Teal’c answered solemnly.

His answer was greeted by uproarious laughter and John had to rewind the video because they missed a portion of it.

After the recording had ended, John cast a glance at O’Neill. “The wolf recording was an excellent touch.”

Cam stared at him. “It was a recording? How could you tell?”

“There are no known wolves in Colorado currently. There are populations in Yellowstone National Park, Idaho, Arizona, New Mexico, Virginia, but not here,” John said. “Also, that was a pack gathering call, not a hunting call.”

“How did you recognize it?”

“My … family used to vacation at Yellowstone. I learned the difference in the howls because of that.”

The rest of the meal passed in laughter.

John stretched out on the couch and laid his head in Cam’s lap. “I wonder whatever happened to that polar bear.”

Cam chuckled. “I have no idea, but we should thank him.”

Jack glanced between the two. “Polar bear? What polar bear? And where?”

John craned his head to see O’Neill. “I met Cam after the Battle of Antarctica. I watched the battle from McMurdo then I was “borrowed” to work CSAR and locate downed craft. I was told to drop locator beacons whenever I found a plane. Found a few Death Gliders too. Anyway, I had just topped a rise and spotted a polar bear menacing a pilot who’d crawled from the wreckage of his plane. My chopper scared the bear off, I landed and got this big lug to safety. Strained a couple of muscles in my back doing so. I was so focused on my passenger that it never occurred to me to wonder how a polar bear got to Antarctica."

Vala rose and ruffled Cam’s hair. “That’s so sweet. So it was love at first sight.”

Jack was silent for a moment. “Sam, would you …?”

“Sure. The bear had to be brought in,” she said as she stood. “I’ll see what I can find out.” She snagged Cam’s laptop and headed for the spare bedroom.

Cam looked down at John, a thoughtful expression on his face. “Y’know, I remember a tingling when you touched me.”

John returned the look. “I do too. The feeling stayed with me awhile.”

Daniel, who had been silent until then, spoke up. “One touch is all it would take. There is no way to force a soul bond.” He pushed his glasses up on his nose. “Did either of you feel a tug if you thought of the other?”

John nodded. “All I had to do was close my eyes and think of Cam and I would get a feeling of warm h … um, warmth.”

A burst of warmth and amusement filtered through the bond and John had to work hard to keep from blushing. It didn’t help that he was pressed against a particular portion of Cam’s anatomy.

Sam returned at the start of the second quarter of the Sunday Night football game. She put Cam’s laptop away and booted Vala from her seat beside Jack. The former space pirate smirked as she plopped onto her floor pillow. “You were right. A group of five bears was brought to Antarctica by a research mission. They stayed on their ship and observed the bears to see if they would acclimate. They watched them for three summers. Two died. One wandered off during the third summer which was presumably your friend, Cam.”

“He tried to eat me. He was no friend of mine,” Cam said.

“I’m the only one allowed to eat you,” John muttered so softly only Cam could hear him.

“So what happened to the three bears?” Jack asked. “Did Goldilocks pick them up?”

“They were reported as recovered shortly after the Battle of Antarctica and when last seen were harassing seals in the Arctic Circle.”

SG-1 stayed long enough to finish watching the game, which, because they had to get up early, went into overtime. On his way out, Jack turned and fixed both officers with a look. “Do not be late and be in dress uniform.”

“Yes, Sir,” they answered in unison.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

John rose shortly before the sun did, changed into track pants and went for a run. He did three circuits and walked a short fourth before returning to the apartment. He let himself in and the smell of bacon led him to the kitchen. He wrapped his arms around Cam’s waist carefully and kissed him on the neck. “Good morning.”

“Good morning to you too,” Cam said with a laugh as he twisted his torso enough to kiss John properly. “You’ve got time to get cleaned up before breakfast is ready.”

“Okay.”

John took a quick shower and shaved. He dried off and threw on a t-shirt and a pair of sweats. He walked into the kitchen as Cam was setting their plates of scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast on the table. John poured a mug of coffee for himself and topped Cam’s off before taking a seat. As they ate, they shared some of the weird crap they’d encountered going through the Gate. John knew Cam was doing his best to keep him distracted from the morning’s events.

They finished and cleaned up then headed to get dressed. John stripped off his tee and sweats and was reaching for his undershirt and boxers when Cam grabbed him and shoved him against the wall.

“John, you need to relax.”

“I’m trying but it’s hard. I keep wondering what kind of officer they’re going to install as the new Military Commander.”

“If I remember correctly, Doctor Weir specifically told you that you’ll like the new CO. Jack did too.”

“But …”

Cam frowned. “Has either of them lied to you?”

“No.”

“Then quit borrowing trouble. You find enough of it on your own.”

John was about to say more when Cam sank to his knees and wrapped his mouth around his cock. He wasn’t hard yet so Cam had all of him in his mouth. The sensations that traveled up his spine as Cam teased his shaft to hardness made John thump his head into the wall. Cam backed off a bit as John grew hard and started licking and teasing the head and sensitive slit. John moaned as Cam worked him over. He felt a chill when Cam abruptly released him and moved away.

John opened eyes he hadn’t realized he’d closed to see Cam across the room. “Cam, is something wrong?”

“No, just stay there.”

He came back a moment later and knelt at John’s feet after dropping a pillow on the floor. “Close your eyes.”

John did as instructed and Cam resumed his earlier ministrations. His cock grew hard again and John gripped the wall to hold himself in check before the urge to clench his fists in Cam’s hair and fuck his mouth became too much. The crackle of plastic got his attention and his dick got even harder. Cam nudged his knees and John obligingly spread his stance wider. He gasped and threw his head back as a cool finger circled his hole before slipping inside. He was tight for the first finger but loosened as it moved in and out. Soon a second finger joined it and Cam started finger fucking him in earnest as his mouth bobbed up and down. The two fingers in his ass tagged his prostate with every stroke and it wasn’t long before John shouted Cam’s name, his cum pouring down his partner’s throat.

John locked his knees as Cam pulled out and stood. He walked out and came back with a warm washcloth that he used to clean them off.

John grabbed Cam, tugged him close and planted a sloppy, wet kiss on his mouth. “God, Cam that was incredible.”

“You’re welcome,” Cam said with a twinkle in his eye. “Do you feel relaxed now?”

John snorted. “I’m so relaxed that if I move right now, I’ll probably melt into a puddle of goo.”

“Then I’d just have to get you hard again.”

John’s dick chose that moment to tell John what it thought of that idea. God, his libido was going to fucking kill him. He throttled his desire down. They didn’t have time for more right now. Maybe tonight. He staggered a few steps and snagged his clothes and got dressed. Cam did the same on the opposite side of the room.

During the drive to the Mountain, Cam kept up a steady stream of chatter. John appreciated it as it served to distract him.

“Hey, who else is on your team other than McKay? You mentioned someone named Teyla?”

“Teyla is from Athos. I met her a few hours after we arrived in Atlantis. She’s petite and kicks ass. She’s been teaching me one of their traditional martial arts called Bantos.”

“Alright, that’s three. Who else?”

John choked at that question. He needed to talk to Ford’s next of kin, probably his cousin. “I need a new one. My previous fourth, Lieutenant Aiden Ford, was attacked by a Wraith. The Wraith had just flooded his system with the enzyme they use during the feeding process to strengthen their victims when it was killed. We found him in the water hours later still attached to the Wraith. The enzyme had saved his life, but it affected his mind. Long story short – he went crazy, stole a jumper, and almost gave us away to the Wraith.”

“Damn, John, God, I’m so sorry. It…”

“Sucks? Yeah, it does. I need to get in touch with his next of kin before we head back.”

“You find the address and I’ll go with you.”

Cam’s near hand left the steering wheel and gripped John’s leg in a firm grip.

“Thanks, I appreciate it.” John clasped Cam’s hand and squeezed.

They passed into the Mountain swiftly and returned the respectful salutes offered by the Marines on duty at the top of the elevator. As they walked off, John heard one comment to the other about the amount of chest candy both men were sporting. He looked at Cam and nodded his head back at the guards with a smirk that Cam returned.

The ride down was long. John swore the SGC had the slowest elevator ever built. His stomach was doing flip-flops before they were a quarter of the way. He backed into a corner and closed his eyes as he worked through some of the calming rituals that Teyla had taught him.

“Are you alright?” Cam asked. “You’re acting like a long-tailed cat in a roomful of rocking chairs.”

John opened his eyes. Cam knew the answer already as the bond was open and John could feel his mate’s concern tickling the edge of his mind. “I’m nervous as hell. I wasn’t this nervous before my Article 15 hearing.”

Cam planted a soft kiss on his lips. “You have nothing to worry about. Everything will turn out okay.”

“What if …?”

Cam silenced him by the simple expedient of capturing his lips in a searing hot kiss. John wrapped his arms around Cam’s neck as his knees went weak. He melted into the kiss with a fervor that surprised himself as he usually did not do public displays of affection. He hoped the guys in Security were getting an eyeful as he surrendered to the kiss.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Cam blinked as John melted into his kiss. He’d meant it as a distraction, and boy, what a distraction. If they were home alone, clothes would be flying everywhere and someone would be hunting for lube. If things went well today, he was really hoping John would feel like making love to him tonight. His bond mate’s cock was long and impressive and he couldn’t wait to feel John split him open with it. He had a few other fantasies he’d like to fulfill, but he’d have to sound John out about some of his likes and dislikes first.

He heard the ding that signaled the switch and ended the kiss. John’s pupils were blown with only a ring of greenish-blue visible. Cam loved the look on his mate. He’d have to get him in that state more often. They signed in at the switch point and boarded the second elevator and resumed the flow of small talk that had occupied them through breakfast and the trip over.

A third pair of guards greeted them at the bottom, this pair consisting of an Airman and a Marine. The Airman checked their ID while the Marine stood by. Satisfied with the ID verification, both relaxed minutely. “Sirs, General O’Neill requested that you meet with him upon arrival.”

“Thank you, Airman Simms.”

Cam nudged John and the two of them headed through the maze that was the SGC. Cam ducked down a side corridor and tugged John into a restroom.

“Cam, we don’t have time for this,” John said.

Cam chuckled. He had an idea as to what was on John’s mind. “We’re not here for a quickie. We are here to take care of business and freshen up before we see the General. Save those thoughts and tonight I’ll let you have your way with me.” The gleam in John’s eyes was worth it.

No words were exchanged as they cleaned up and relieved themselves. They checked their ties and made sure everything was as it should be then headed out. John looked like he was heading into the lion’s den barehanded, but Cam could only lend his support and send him bursts of love and confidence.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Outside O’Neill’s temporary office, John drew a deep breath and squared his shoulders as he allowed calm to settle over him. Whatever would be would be, there was nothing he could do about it. At least O’Neill’s presence in the SGC meant that John got to deal with him rather than Landry, who John was sure didn’t like him. He knocked and opened the door at a curt “Enter!” only to stop dead in the entry. Elizabeth, Rodney, Carson, Vala, Sam, Teal’c, and Daniel were all inside and dressed up. John moved when Cam nudged him. He caught a smirk on Rodney’s face as he exchanged a comment with Carson.

He came to attention and saluted O’Neill.

“At ease,” Jack said as he returned the salute a bit more neatly than his usual.

John flowed into the relaxed stance as O’Neill came around to stand in front of him.

“I wanted to do this at the ceremony, but I was informed that you would probably appreciate receiving this in private.” He cleared his throat. “Major John Sheppard, in recognition of your meritorious service and the many sustained acts of heroism you performed during the past sixteen months, I am pleased to present to you the Air Force Commendation Medal.” Jack handed John the certificate and a tiny box.

“Thank you, Sir.” John saluted as he accepted the items.

“This marks the third time Major Sheppard has received this award.”

Applause broke out and everyone gathered close to congratulate him. Vala wrapped herself around John and started peppering him with kisses. Daniel laughed as he and Teal’c pried her loose.

“I swear you are such a Kirk,” Rodney said with a grumble.

“No, McKay, he’s not,” Cam said sharply. “He’s mine. He can’t help it that’s he’s so gorgeous. That women want him goes to show that they have good taste.”

John blushed and mumbled something unintelligible, but he went willingly when Cam tugged him over to a corner.

“Congrats, baby.” Cam said.

“Um, thanks,” John said. “I wasn’t expecting this.”

“I know you weren’t. I could tell.” Cam reached up and removed his ribbons, put the oak leaf cluster in place and re-fixed them on John’s coat.

A sharp clap drew their attention. He looked at the couple with a slightly apologetically smile for interrupting them.

“Alright, let’s get going. The real party’s downstairs,” Jack said.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Jack took his place before the Stargate as he waited for everyone to settle. They had requested the presence of every team leader on base and the heads of every department of the SGC. However, they had been joined by quite a few airmen and marines with free time who also wanted to know who the new Military Commander of Atlantis would be. Hank stepped forward and began the ceremony. Jack took the opportunity to observe John. The man was pale and a bit wide-eyed, but Cam’s presence seemed to be grounding him. He was glad the two were together. They complemented each other well and both gained emotional stability they desperately needed. Cam was learning to loosen up and John was learning to express himself.

As Hank invoked a moment of silence for the fallen, Jack saw a grimace flash across John’s face. Yeah, the man probably had as many ghosts as he did. He hadn’t been lying when he told Hank he saw a lot of himself in John Sheppard. It was one reason that he’d given him a kick in the ass during the chopper ride back from the Outpost. John was too damn good to be allowed to waste away at the ends of the Earth. It had taken awhile, but he’d even been grateful after George did it to him. He saw John shake himself and release some of the guilt he’d been holding onto.

“Thank you,” Landry said. “And now, our boss, Major General Jack O’Neill, current Director of Homeworld Security, has something to say.”

Jack stepped forward and replaced Landry. “Thank you, Hank.” Jack looked out at the crowd. “As your newly-minted boss, Hank, that’s General Landry to all of you, said, we are here today to install a new Military Commander in the city of Atlantis. But, before we get to that, I have a well-deserved promotion to deliver. Major John Sheppard, front and center.”

John froze until Cam nudged him from his seat with a smile. Teal’c reached forward and gave him a gentle push as well.

John stood and made his way up the steel ramp.

“For the past twelve months, Major John Sheppard has been the Acting Military Commander of Atlantis, having taken over after Colonel Sumner’s death. During that time, Major Sheppard has consistently gone above and beyond the call of duty to protect those in his care. Earlier, I was pleased to present Major Sheppard with his third award of the Air Force Commendation Medal. It is my further pleasure to promote Major Sheppard to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.” Jack allowed his gaze to drift across the audience. “Here at the SGC, whenever a member of a Gate team is promoted, it is his teammates that are given the honor of pinning on the new rank. Doctor Rodney McKay, as the only member of our newly-minted Colonel’s team present, would you please step forward? To assist, I would also ask Lieutenant Colonel Cameron Mitchell to come forward as well.”

Jack accepted a roll of parchment from Hank.

"Attention to orders: The President of the United States, acting upon the recommendation of the Secretary of the Air Force and the Department of Homeworld Security, has placed special trust and confidence in the patriotism, integrity, and abilities of Major John Sheppard. In view of these special qualities and his demonstrated potential to serve in the higher grade, Major John Sheppard is promoted to the grade of Lieutenant Colonel, United States Air Force, effective this date, by order of the President of the United States."

Rodney and Cam were both grinning as they ascended the ramp and took up positions to either side of John. At Jack’s nod, they removed his gold oak leafs and replaced them with the silver leaves of a Lieutenant Colonel.

Facing each other, Jack instructed John to raise his right hand and repeat after him.

"I, John Sheppard."

"I, John Sheppard." Sheppard's voice was husky and a little shaky.

"Having been appointed a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Air Force."

They continued the oath, exchanging lines: "Having been appointed a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Air Force/ do solemnly swear/that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States/against all enemies, foreign and domestic / that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same / that I take this obligation freely / without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion / and that I will well and faithfully discharge / the duties of the office which I am about to enter / so help me God."

Jack shook John's hand, then announced to the assembly. “Ladies and Gentlemen, Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard.”

Jack waited until the applause died down then gestured for John, Rodney, and Cam to return to their seats. Knowing that it was time for Jack to announce the new Military Commander of Atlantis, Elizabeth joined him at the podium. She stood silently by the General to show her support in the decision.

“Now to our primary order of business. From the reports we have all read, we know that the Pegasus Galaxy has brought a brand-new set of dangers to the arena. To combat these threats, it will take a man who is courageous and willing to look beyond the normal to find solutions. It will take a man who puts service before self, a man who leads by example and is not afraid to do what is right regardless of cost.”

“Now, men such as this are hard to come by, and those capable of being leaders even more so. Fortunately, we have such a man here with us today.” Jack paused while everyone turned to see if someone was entering the room from outside. “Ladies and Gentlemen, it is my pleasure to introduce the new Military Commander of Atlantis, Lieutenant Colonel … John Sheppard.”

John went pale with shock as Jack uttered his name. He really hoped the poor guy didn’t pass out. He had wanted John to sweat a bit, but may have pushed the guy too hard. After his talks with Elizabeth and Hank, he’d read through John’s file again.

He’d grown adept at reading between the lines during his career and saw that many of John’s CO’s had only commended him for his actions when they had no other choice. Their performance evaluations held scant recognition and a lot of thinly-veiled criticism. John had been promoted below zone to Captain and to Major and should have already been a light bird. Colonel Hansen had pushed his review back for pitifully thin reasons. If John’s promotion had gone through when it should have, he would have been in a different unit and would have never been in the position to disobey orders. He had to wonder why he had done that, though, what Hansen could have had against Sheppard? Arrogance and refusal to acknowledge one's mistakes or Sheppard’s rights explained the lack of praise given by his previous commanders. It wasn’t enough to explain Hansen pushing John’s review back, though. Jack hadn’t found anything that could explain it, and he had to wonder if it had been a case of discrimination. If Hansen had been unable to use DADT to get Sheppard dismissed from the Air Force, he might have taken revenge in another way.

After his read-through, Jack had contacted a friend of his and found that Hansen was still in service. He dropped a few hints and was assured that Hansen’s life was about to become very uncomfortable.

He let go a little sigh of relief as Cam and his team got John moving. Jack congratulated him and pinned the Command Insignia badge on his jacket below his nameplate. John went back up to the podium and thanked the General still wearing a shocked expression painted on his face. Jack waved his hand to point out that he should say something to the crowd. John squared his shoulders and projected a calm mask over his face, concealing his nervousness as best as he could. Cam, Jack, and his friends probably could still see it in his eyes, though.

“I wasn’t expecting this so I don’t have a speech ready. I’m not one for speeches or words anyway…”

Most of the people that had been there long enough to see Jack give one of those speeches during a promotion or something else laughed at the similarities. John lifted an eyebrow questioningly, and Elizabeth told him that he reminded them of Jack. The soldiers at the end of the ramp nodded hearing her words, most of them still smirking. John smirked – that didn’t sound so bad – and continued with his improvised and extremely short speech. “Thanks for the opportunity. I’ll do my best.”

The throng cheered, and clapped loudly. Many had read the reports sent by the expedition and admired John for his work there, and they thought he deserved this promotion. Jack made a few surreptitious gestures to Cam and Sam. He watched as they nonchalantly surrounded John and took him upstairs. The man had gotten through the ceremony, but he was still white as a sheet and in need for some quiet to compose himself.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Cam was surprised but not as much as John. He got him moving after Jack called his name, but Cam was worried. John was white as a sheet and looked ready to pass out. Fortunately, he didn't. After the ceremony and speech were complete, Cam collected McKay and his team and they worked their way through the mass of well-meaning people wanting to congratulate John to his side. They encircled him and made their way up to the conference room outside of Jack’s office. Sam ducked inside while Cam guided John into one of the leather chairs.

Cam loosened John’s tie and unbuttoned his coat. “Put your head down for a moment.”

“Thanks.” John rested his elbows on his knees and let his head drop forward.

Sam returned after a few minutes with a tray of glasses. She started with John and passed them around. Jack and Elizabeth entered as she got down to the last two glasses. “Ah, just in time,” she said as she pressed drinks into their hands.

Cam was sitting beside John, a hand resting on his leg. It irritated him that there was nothing he could do except sit at John’s side.

“Shh, you’re doing plenty,” John said softly. “Having you here is enough.”

“John, are you alright?” Elizabeth asked as she took a seat on his other side.

John straightened and leaned back in the chair. “I’m fine.”

Elizabeth glanced at Jack and Cam saw him give her a nod.

“We owe you an apology, John,” Elizabeth said.

“Hmm?”

“Yeah, we made the decision over a week ago,” Jack said.

“So why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because I didn’t want you to get cocky and mouth off during the debriefing. The way the IOA was acting, I needed them to believe they still had something to say in this decision,” Jack told him. “I figured it wouldn’t hurt to let you sweat about it. I realize now we should have told you or at least told you that you were on the short list.”

“So you let him mope around, thinking that he was gonna get booted out of Atlantis or demoted to human light switch again just to make him sweat? Are you all preschoolers?” Rodney grabbed the conversation and let loose the reins on his sense of outrage. “Sheppard has shed blood for all of us and this is how you repay him? Oh, sorry for the trouble. Here’s a shiny new toy, now go play with the other kids. You ought to be showering him with gifts of coffee, guns, and golf clubs.”

“Rodney.”

Cam was amazed at how well John’s drawl cut through McKay’s diatribe.

“Yes?” Rodney asked.

John smiled. “It’s fine. I’m confident they’ve learned their lesson and won’t do it again.”

Jack and Elizabeth nodded in agreement with John’s statement. Cam felt a grin try to escape and clamped it down. “What can I tell you, McKay, politics is all about dealing with preschoolers,” Jack commented dryly. “I knew he’d be surprised. I didn’t expect such a strong reaction.”

Rodney huffed and mumbled an unintelligible complaint that everyone ignored.

Carson bustled in and hurried to John’s side. Elizabeth rose to allow the Scottish doctor room. “How’re ye feeling, lad?” He asked as he checked John’s pulse. “And don’t tell me fine.”

“I was a little lightheaded, but I feel better now,” John said.

“Well, it’s a good thing that the parasite is substantial enough to keep your head from floating away,” Rodney said with a smirk.

“Ah, you’re just jealous that I have hair,” John replied as he reached up and brushed a hand through his hair.

“Oh, please! Cats have hair, people have hair. You have a mutant Tribble on your head,” Rodney snarked back.

John ran his fingers through his hair to fluff it after having had his cover on. “Everyone loves Tribbles.”

“The Klingons didn’t.”

Cam decided to put his two cents worth in. Everyone was staring at the two in rapt fascination. “I think John’s hair is sexy.”

“You and half the women in the Pegasus Galaxy, flyboy,” Rodney said.

“I’m the only one that matters, McKay.”

“Enough!” Jack said hiding his amusement at the banter between the other three men. “The three of you can continue this some other time. Right now, we have a reception to get to. The cooks will be very upset if the Guest of Honor doesn’t show up.”


	10. Red Rain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WARNING!! This chapter contains graphic scenes and imagery, along with lots of gore. You have been warned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long delay in posting, but this story is finally finished! I shall be posting a chapter every few days. Blue Christmas is also finished and I will be posting it as soon as it gets a final once-over. I am also hard at work writing the sequel to this which is Light of a Distant Star. I will start posting it after I have the other two up completely. It falls between Counting Stars and Blue Christmas.  
> A big shout out goes to DorothyOz for deftly wielding her beta pen on this and for keeping me on track.  
> Thanks to all of you for your kudos and comments!

Cheers arose when John entered the cafeteria. The buffet spread was enticing, as was the wet bar in the corner. John grabbed a plate and wandered along the buffet. He picked up a few things, but he wasn’t starving. He nibbled and ate what he’d gotten, but he could tell from the twin looks on Cam and Carson’s faces that he’d be getting a lecture about eating in the near future. Once most of the food was gone, someone brought out the cake. The bakers had done a masterful job of rendering Atlantis on it in frosting. He heard Rodney expounding on the non-existent skill of the artist until John shot a blue-clad elbow into his side.

John thanked everyone for coming then cut the cake. He took a piece near the center that had the jumper bay depicted on it. He gave Cam the piece with the sunroof on it. He laughed when Carson clamped a hand on Rodney’s arm and hauled him from the room. Rodney had been after his third piece of cake. Anyone else would have been satisfied with the super-sized piece he’d badgered John to cut.

As people started to drift away and return to their posts, O’Neill snagged him and led him back towards his office. John groaned at the thought of receiving a lecture about responsibility and making hard decisions. Instead, O’Neill pushed him into a vacant office.

“This is your office. I know it’s not much, but you need someplace to work.”

“Okay,” John drawled, not sure where this was going.

“You get to pick the replacement troops going to Atlantis. You also get to decide if anyone currently in the city needs to leave.”

Yeah, John had a few of those – guys who’d developed various bad habits.

“There are also supply lists and a ton of other things. You also have a bunch of stuff to update for Personnel.” Jack stepped aside as Walter slid through the door with a laptop and a small stack of folders. “You have a lot to do and not a lot of time to do it. I will help you as much as I can. My office is just down the hall. Your first task is to select an XO.” Jack stepped out then stuck his head back in. “I suggest you look at Major Lorne’s record first.”

With that poorly veiled advice as a parting, the General left John to start working. Looking around at the tiny, gray room, he saw it was furnished with a couple of utilitarian desks and a few chairs, probably to account for his second-in-command. The small stack of files Walter had just brought was only the last addition because there was a huge pile of them on the second desk. Apparently a lot of people were interested in going to Atlantis. Walter had arranged them in three piles: the Pentagon’s recommendations, O’Neill’s, and those made by the SGC’s team leaders and other base commanders. John sighed and resolved to get to work ASAP. He wanted to go home with time enough to enjoy Cam. Getting a bottle of water from the office’s mini fridge, he sat down and following Jack’s advice, opened Lorne’s file. Major Evan Lorne, USAF. Member of SG-11. Pilot. John smiled. He liked him already.

John was halfway through the stack when Cam showed up. Lorne’s file sat by itself to his right while the discards were on his left.

“Cherry picking already?”

“Yeah. O’Neill suggested I pick an XO first. That way he can help me with everything else.”

“That was good advice,” Cam said as he walked around John’s desk. “Sorry I bailed on you earlier. I had to check with the guys from SG-9. We have a joint mission Wednesday. We’ll be gone two days.”

John eyed his lover. Cam thought he’d be upset at the separation. Truthfully, John was looking forward to a bit of space. He was used to being on his own and needed some alone time. Before he left though, he’d make sure Cam had a reason to come home quickly. “Gimme a kiss and I’ll forgive you.”

“Gladly,” Cam said as he complied.

John returned to the file he was reading then threw it on the discard pile in disgust. “How the hell did this guy ever make Major? I could play Pick-Up-Sticks with the marks in his record.”

Cam picked up the file. “Major Scott F. Pensky. I’ve heard of him. His Grandpa was some Pentagon hotshot and is the only reason his Grandson is still in the service. Apparently he keeps hoping someone will mold him into a decent human being.”

John snorted. “Well, I could always use him as Wraith bait, but I don’t think former General Pensky would be happy about that.” He spun towards the door just as a knock sounded. “Yes?”

Walter opened the door. “Major Lorne to see you, Sir.”

John was startled but kept it from showing. The man made Radar O’Reilly look like a slouch. “Thank you, Walter. Come in, Major.”

Major Evan Lorne stepped in and started to salute, but John waved him off and towards a chair.

“Colonel Sheppard, I can come back later if you’d prefer.”

“No, it’s fine.” John decided to sound Lorne out on a few things. “In case you hadn’t heard, Colonel Mitchell and I are bonded soul mates.”

Lorne nodded cautiously. “I had heard rumors to that effect, but I prefer to not put much stock in them until I can verify them. Rumors in the SGC are a little crazy, you know. If you were to trust all of them, you’d come up with some very wild stories.”

“That’s a good policy. Does our relationship bother you?”

“No, Sir. I think it’s good that the two of you have each other. Officers in committed relationships are more stable and operate under less stress.”

“You’re hired.” John pointed to a table in the corner. “Toss your stuff over there and let’s get started. Cam, you too, unless you’ve got something else to do?”

Cam shook his head. “Nope, I’m all yours. My paperwork is caught up and mission brief is filed.”

“Damn overachiever.”

At that moment, Walter stuck his head back in after a brisk rap on the door. “I have the conference room next door set up for you.”

“Thanks.” John eyed Walter and wondered how upset O’Neill would be if he kidnaped him.

“Don’t try it, John,” Cam said. “He would come after you.”

“Hey, a guy’s allowed to think, isn’t he?”

“Yes, Sir,” Lorne said. “However, General O’Neill likes Walter right where he is. In fact, there are rumors that he’s trying to take him to the Pentagon when he finally leaves. Personally, I think he’ll leave him here to help General Landry, for a while at least.”

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

John was glad this day was almost over. He appreciated the help from Cam and Lorne. They’d made a good start on the equipment for Atlantis. The list would raise some brows, but John could refer to mission reports and show instances where everything he’d asked for could have saved lives or given them different options. John requested theater tactical nukes, ground-to-air portable missile launchers, Kevlar tac vests, a metric ton of C4, flash-bangs, and magnesium flares.

Cam frowned when he got to the flares. “I hate to sound stupid, but what good are flares going to do against Wraith?”

“I was curious about that as well, Sir,” Lorne admitted.

“What do flares do to a heat-seeker?” John smiled the moment he saw realization dawn on their faces. “Exactly. Wraith seem to have some heat-detection abilities. We’ve used flares and flash-bangs to good effect.”

Lorne stretched and glanced at the clock on the wall. “It’s getting late, Sirs. I think we should call it a night.”

John slumped in his chair, spread his legs slightly and ran his left hand along his thigh knowing Cam could see what he was doing, but Lorne couldn’t. “Yes, I think we should.”

After bidding goodnight to Lorne, Cam prodded him out of his office and the SGC so fast John was surprised they didn’t break the sound barrier. The ride home passed in a blur, the fatigue of the day washed away by the speed of their passage. He wanted to celebrate and knew exactly what he wanted to do.

John backed Cam into the door as soon as it was locked and captured his mouth in a gentle kiss, his tongue licking along the edge of Cam’s mouth. Cam’s lips parted and the tip of John’s tongue slipped inside to coax its partner out. When Cam’s tongue came out to play, John latched onto Cam’s mouth with bruising force and Cam returned it with equal fervor, their mutual feelings of lust spurring the other on. John tugged Cam from the door and pushed his jacket down his arms and let it fall to the floor then shrugged his own off and tossed it aside. Their shirts soon followed as they stumbled in the direction of their bedroom.

John nudged Cam onto the bed as he kicked off his shoes then tugged Cam’s off as well.

“Well, I can guess what you want,” Cam said with a smile.

John crawled onto the bed still wearing his trousers and kneeled in front of Cam. “I want to do all sorts of things to you. I want to lick you, taste you, and fuck you. I want to fill you with my cock. I want you to yell my name when you come. I want to see my come dripping from your ass when I’m done.”

“Oh, god, that is hot.” Cam shuddered. John could feel his response and it was feeding the flames of his own desire. “For someone who has trouble talking about his feelings, you sure aren’t shy when it comes to sex.”

John shoved Cam onto his back and crawled up his body. “No, because by the time we get to sex we’re past all the gushy emotions.”

John kissed Cam again, the strength of the kiss matching the depth of his hunger. He pulled back and kissed and nibbled his way down Cam’s jaw to his neck then back up to repeat the process on the other side. He pulled back to admire the view then headed south to lick and tease Cam’s dark nipples in their sea of dark hair. He lavished the first with a tongue bath then clamped his mouth around it. Cam cried out as he bit and tugged on his nipple. John released it then started on the other, not wanting it to be jealous. When he had both of Cam’s nipples hard and red, John headed north for another kiss. This time, his hands headed south to trail along Cam’s chest to his belt.

Years of practice had gifted him with the ability to undo web belts one-handed. He flicked Cam’s fly open and reached inside to stroke him. Cam let out a gasp and bucked into his hand. “Be patient.” John shifted and lowered his head to breathe on Cam’s shaft through the material of his boxers. Cam writhed and moaned at the sensation. When he got to the head, John took it into his mouth and sucked on it through the cloth.

Fingers clenched in his hair drew John’s head up.

“You … are a … tease,” Cam panted.

John gave him his sexiest evil grin. “No, but I do plan to enjoy this. We are celebrating my promotion and we are going to remember this night for a long time.” He tugged Cam’s trousers and boxers down and tossed them aside then stripped off his socks almost as an afterthought. The sight of Cam’s cock, jutting out from its tangle of dark hair made things deep in John’s body tense with anticipation.

John slid from the bed and shed the rest of his clothing. His member curved in slightly, the head resting against his hipbone, flushed and already leaking cum. “How quickly can you come again?”

Cam lifted his head and stared at John. “Why?”

“Because I want to blow you before I fuck you.”

“About forty minutes.”

John grinned, tossed a tube of lube on the bed then climbed back on. He spread Cam’s legs wide and started with his balls, licking and nuzzling them before drawing each one into his mouth to suck on it as he rolled it with his tongue. He breathed on them and watched as the flesh of his sac tightened in response.

“Johhhhnnn.”

Cam’s whine was cute. John made a note to tell him so … later. He bent his head and nibbled his way up Cam’s cock as he searched for the tube. The feel of smooth plastic ended his quest. He sat up and allowed his senses to catalog Cam’s body– his taste, touch, scent, the feel of the wiry hair on his chest while he slicked his fingers up. The groan from Cam as the first finger breached his body almost sent John over his peak, but he clamped down quickly. John bent his head to torture Cam’s cock again while he stretched him. His head bobbed up and down as he brushed Cam’s prostate. John felt the throb of Cam’s orgasm just as Cam yelled his name. John swallowed him down, the muscles of his throat working to milk every drop of cum.

He released Cam’s softening cock with a muted pop.

“John, I want you in me,” Cam demanded.

“It’s gonna hurt if I don’t stretch you more,” John said even as he added a third finger.

“I want to feel the burn.”

More than happy to oblige, John removed his fingers and leaned forward to engage Cam’s full lips in a hot, sensuous kiss as he lubed his cock and positioned it at Cam’s entrance. “You want this?’

“God, yes. Take me, John, make me yours.”

John pressed forward steadily until the head of his dick broke through and entered his mate’s tight ass. “You are tight.”

“It’s been a long time for me too.”

John worked his way in, pulling out almost to his end then pushing back in again and each time he went deeper until his full length filled Cam’s body.

“Oh, fuck, John.”

“I’m going to.” John started rocking slowly, his shaft filling Cam with each stroke. Every other stroke, John bumped Cam’s prostate until his cock hardened once again. With Cam’s member erect and already leaking pre-cum, John shifted positions and deepened his strokes. Cam’s moans of pleasure spurred him to greater exertions as he felt a wave of heat encompass his entire being. Cam yelled his name as he came a second time. Cam’s orgasm caused the muscles in his ass to tighten on John’s shaft and his vision whited out as his rhythm faltered and he shot his load into Cam’s body.

John slumped forward onto Cam’s chest as he tried to catch his breath.

“John, you okay?”

John raised his head and blinked. “Yeah, just … gimme … a minute.”

Cam shifted a bit and gasped. “Your eyes …”

“Hmmm, what about them?” The long day and the energetic love-making had sapped the last of John’s strength. No one had ever commented about his eyes after sex. He knew they turned dark when he got mad because he’d seen the effect in the mirror a few times.

“They’re beautiful. Brilliant emerald green with a ring of smoky blue.”

Cam wriggled from beneath John and staggered to the bathroom. He returned a few minutes later with a warm washcloth and cleaned them up. The last thing he remembered was kissing Cam and saying three of the most important words in any language.

“I love you.”

0o0o0o0o0o0

John was hard at work Wednesday filling the vacancies for Atlantis. O'Neill had also increased the size of his company so he had more officers to select and personnel to fill the additional slots. Even with Lorne's assistance it was slow going. Being the smart men they were, they had maintained the classification Walter did for them. There were now five stacks of files in the conference room table - one was O'Neill's recommendations, the second were the recommendations from the Pentagon, the third were the recommendations done by team leaders, off-world base commanders, department chiefs, etc., the fourth was their accepted pile, and the fifth was the “Hell no!” stack. So far, that was the biggest mound on the table and was mostly comprised of the Pentagon’s useless recommendations. At the moment, their accepted pile was composed only of people recommended by O’Neill and other people from the SGC. John wasn’t surprised; those were the people with experience with the particular brand of craziness that the Stargate brought to their jobs and the most qualified to make the recommendations.

John put down the file he was reading and leaned back to rest his eyes before he got a headache. A feather light touch that he identified as Cam brushed his mind and he instinctively reached out and grabbed it.

_Pain!_

_Pain radiated out from his leg and made it hard to breathe._

_Hands touched them and made the pain worse before they pushed them away._

_They were dimly aware of voices calling out, but the words had no meaning to them._

_The hands touched them again and they begged their owners to leave them alone. When the hands refused, they made them, swinging a fist towards the voices and the hands. The voices cried out in fear and pain as they backed off and quit touching them_.

“John, lad, come back to us. It’s not your pain. Put up your shield and come back to us.”

_Not their pain? Of course it was theirs – they felt it, their hands were clamped around their leg just below their knee, their breath was rasping in their chest as they struggled to breathe with cracked ribs._

_A tingle shot through their body as large, warm hands cupped their face._

“John, come back. You need to come back,” a familiar voice said.

“Hit him.” This was a different voice, but not one they recognized.

_The voices were persistent, they’d give them that._

_Impact rocked their body, but they resisted. They’d been tortured before. Another impact struck their face and the world went dark._

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Jack stood nearby as Carson and Carolyn examined John. They’d been summoned by Lorne, who was seated nearby observing the situation.

“Did you have to hit him so hard, Doc?” Jack winced as he caught sight of the darkening bruise on John’s cheek.

“He was caught in a pain loop,” Carson said as he straightened from his exam. “The only way to snap him out was to provide an outside stimulus.

A moan caught their attention.

“How is he, Docs?”

Lam and Carson exchanged looks then Lam ceded the conversation.

“His respirations and blood pressure are elevated, but that’s not unusual for the type of stress he experienced,” Carson said.

Jack dropped down in a chair. “This was supposed to be a simple check-in. What the hell happened?”

Lorne ran a hand through his hair. “He was taking a break and called out to Mitchell. I guess they were doing that long-distance touch thing then Colonel Sheppard screamed in agony. I tried to help him, but each time I touched him he would scream and writhe in pain.” He touched his face where a lump was forming on his jaw. “After he slugged me, I backed off and called for assistance.”

Carson turned and peered at Lorne’s face. “Ach, lad, ye need to get some ice on that.” He rummaged in his kit and pulled out an instant ice pack. “More than one o’ my nurses has sported a similar badge while caring for John. When he’s in pain or is startled awake and doesn’t realize where he’s at he has a tendency to swing first and ask questions later.”

Lorne shifted the cold pack on his jaw. “I’ll remember that.”

Another moan, this one stronger than the first, pulled their attention to John as his eyes flickered open.

“Cam,” John cried as he shot upright.

Jack reached out and placed a restraining hand on one shoulder as Carson did the same on the other side. “Easy, son.”

John started struggling. “I have to go. Cam’s hurt and they were captured.”

Jack pressed down. “You’re not going anywhere until the good doctor clears you.”

“I have to go.”

Jack shook him. “You will, I promise, but you need to tell us what you know.”

“Lad, can you stand?” Carson asked.

“Um, yeah.”

Jack and Carson removed their hands and John wobbled to his feet. He stepped back and dropped into a chair.

“John, how do you feel?” John opened his mouth to reply, but Carson wasn’t finished. “And if you tell me fine, I’ll sedate you until the Daedalus gets here.”

John’s mouth twitched in a grin. “I have a headache, but otherwise I’m good. I am curious as to why my face hurts though?”

Carson coughed as he blushed and activated another cold pack. “Um, that was me. You were caught in Colonel Mitchell’s pain and the stimulus allowed you to break free.”

John’s eyes grew wide. “You hit me?”

“Aye. It was the only way.”

Jack decided to break that up. “John, can you tell us what happened?”

John slumped back and let his head rest on the chair’s cushion as he held the pack to his face. “I was taking a break and reached out to Cam. Our bond resonated with pain. He’d been shot in the leg, below his left knee. Whatever he got shot with was causing a good portion of the pain. His captors tried to question him at the same time you tried to wake me. I think we both passed out.”

“Aye, that you did, laddie,” Carson said.

Jack spun towards the door. “Walter!”

“Here you are, Sir, Colonel Mitchell’s mission brief and our intel on the planet,” Walter said.

“Thanks.”

Jack opened the file and spread it out across the table. “Okay, this is what we have. The planet is designated MR7-3498. The locals call it Creat.”

Lorne stifled a chuckle and John snorted.

Jack eyed the pair. “Yeah, they go by Creatins, and no, they don’t wear togas.”

John cleared his throat. “Thank god. So what tech level are we dealing with?”

“Middle Ages or something like that. Daniel can tell you specifics when you get him back. Bows, spears, and short swords mostly, but they also have arke …”

“Arquebuses?” Lorne asked.

“Yeah, those things.”

“That means Colonel Mitchell most likely has a ball lodged in his leg,” Carolyn commented. “You’ll need a medic on the rescue mission.”

John swiveled to face her. “I’ll need someone who’s seen combat and can keep their cool if things turn messy.”

Carolyn was silent for a moment. “Captain Lindsay Bell. She served as a ParaJumper and as a field medic in Iraq and Afghanistan before coming here.”

“Bell,” John mused. “I know her. I served with her for a time.”

Lorne’s eyes grew wide. “You were a PJ, Sir?”

“Nah,” John pointed at his chest. “Pilot, remember?”

Jack smirked at the looks flying around the room. They were finding out what he already knew.

“Laddie, that explains so much about you,” Carson said. “We land lovers think pilots are crazy, but the pilots that fly for the ParaJumpers are the worst of the lot.”

“Thank you,” John said with a little smirk.

“What us paratroopers aren’t crazy enough for ya, doctor?” Jack asked teasing him. “What about a pilot that was paratrooper too?”

“You were both, General?” Beckett asked looking at the older man as if he was absolutely wacko.

“Why do you think I recruited Bell? She has an excellent resume and is positively crazy. Perfect for a field medic in the SGC,” Jack claimed.

“Crazy sure is a good quality if you want to work in the SGC,” Lorne agreed.

“Beckett, is he clear for this mission?” Jack asked getting back to business.

“Oh, aye, General,” Carson replied. He dug into his bag and pulled out a strip of four tablets. “Take two of these now and the other two in six hours if you still have a headache. And I expect to see you in the infirmary for a checkup after you get back.”

“I’ll be there, Carson,” John promised.

Carson and Carolyn left to allow the planning to take place.

Jack allowed his gaze to roam over the other two men: Lorne, apprehensive at what may come; and John, pale yet determined. “Okay, so I think we’ll skip the pleasantries since the new owners went straight to interrogation. What do you need, John?”

“Six men with experience at infiltration.”

Jack winced. He knew what John was planning. The Creatins were about to learn a painful object lesson. If they survived.

“You should take Lorne; he has valuable experience in the Milky Way. Bell makes three. Mehra is your woman for this kind of situation. I’ll find you another two. Start planning,” Jack ordered and stood up to go to Landry’s office to find who else was available.

“Four, sir,” Sheppard corrected.

“You want six, plus you and the doc. Bell knows what she’s doing, and you only need two men tops to guard the gate from afar. You really don’t want four guys at the gate calling attention to your presence while another four infiltrate. You can infiltrate with Mehra, Lorne, and the doc.”

“I’d prefer to have an extra two just in case, sir. I’ve never served with any of these people, and what if the doc is too busy with SG1 to help on the way out, or if we have to carry more than one of them out of there? We don’t know if any of the others are injured as well.”

“Ok. I’ll find you four more, but make sure Mehra doesn’t hear you say she needed any help subduing the natives.”

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

John followed his ears to find Rodney. He hoped Rodney had brought something with him that would help his mission.

“I don’t care that you have a Master’s degree in Engineering. You have no hands-on knowledge of Ancient technology. I, on the other hand, have two Ph.D.’s and live in the city of Atlantis. So, when I tell you that you need to do more research before getting a gene carrier to test it, you better do it.”

John hated to interrupt, but he needed an LSD. “Hey, McKay, got a minute?”

Rodney dismissed the other scientist with a wave as he spun. “Major.”

“It’s Colonel now, McKay,” John chided.

“Whatever. What do you need? Very busy person here.”

“Did you bring an LSD with you?”

Rodney eyed him suspiciously. “Why, so you and Mitchell can make out in your office?”

John shook his head. “So I can rescue him.”

“Oh. Unfortunately, no, I left mine in Atlantis.”

John sighed. So much for the easy way. Now things were gonna get really messy.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The wormhole closed behind them as John and his strike team fell into position. Sergeant Dusty Mehra had point with himself and Lorne following her. Captain Bell was next with four other Marines behind her. They were garbed in black BDU’s and TAC vests. Each carried a variety of weapons suitable for whatever they might come up against.

John ordered one of the marines to hide nearby to keep an eye at the gate and report if the natives decided to stop them from leaving. He was ordered to stay alert but do nothing.

“Don’t get caught, Smith,” Mehra added as they left. “Let us know you’re ok every hour.” John nodded in agreement, if Smith didn’t sent the two clicks on the radio to signal that he was indeed okay, they’d know immediately that he had been captured recently.

The trip to the village was quiet. They’d arrived near sunset so the light from the Stargate had been hidden by the trees and the sunlight. They encountered signs of a struggle near the village and found a couple of dropped Berettas along with the hacked up bodies of two of the members of SG-9. They quickly dragged the bodies behind a few bushes to keep them hidden and protected. John’s jaw was tight as he ordered the position marked for later retrieval. They did not leave men behind.

The team found a vantage point and scoped out the village before full dark fell. A brooding fortress overlooked the village which was sprawled along the approach. Scanning through binoculars, John noted three groups of guards stationed at various points along the road. Squatting, he motioned his force close and laid out his plan.

“From here on, we go silent. Knives or garrotes preferred. Bell, make sure the silencer is in place and secure on your handgun.”

“What if someone surrenders?” Mehra asked.

“If they surrender, tie them up and trank them. Leave no one conscious behind us,” John ordered.

“You don’t expect them to yield, do you?” Lorne asked.

“No, I don’t. I’m not going to ask them to either. They gave up that right when they butchered and tortured our people.” John closed his eyes a moment and let his dark side free. The Genii had been the last ones to see it and they hadn’t enjoyed the experience. “I have point, Lorne, Mehra, you’re behind me. Campbell, Jones, you have our six. Jordan, you cover Captain Bell.”

They entered the town and moved from shadow to shadow, their black clothing blending in. At the first guard post, they halted as movement attracted their attention. John watched as one of the guards made a crude gesture to the other and staggered out. John sent Mehra after that one while he took the other. He slipped up behind the hapless guard, slapped his hand over his mouth and stuck his knife between his ribs and straight into his heart. John pulled his knife out slowly so the blood wouldn’t spray then posed his victim. A noise from Mehra’s direction announced she’d had the same idea as John. She arranged her victim and they moved on.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Evan Lorne had seen and done a lot of things in his career, but this was beyond the pale of his experience. He’s seen a change in Colonel Sheppard before they entered the village as his easy-going CO was subsumed by the cold, calculating, black ops trained killer. He’d seen the swiftly hidden unease in the rest of their force as his manner changed. Strangely enough, he trusted either side of the Colonel to bring all of his men home.

He understood the reasoning behind the posing of the first guards – if they were discovered missing, the alarm would sound and their mission would get a lot harder. He tightened his grip on his knife, determined to protect his CO’s back and do whatever was necessary to ensure their success.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The second set of guards must have been more alert as they caused a bit of a scuffle. Mehra had to wrestle her target down. John’s decided to be just as lively and kicked back when he felt his hand cover his mouth. John staggered as the man’s hobnail boot caught him in the left knee, but he didn’t release his grip. He thrust his knife into the man’s heart and held his body until he went still. Lorne took the man’s corpse and posed it as they had the first pair. Bell moved to examine his knee, but John waved her off, not willing to spend the time. It hurt, but he could walk on it so he pushed the pain down.

Halfway to the third guard station the group encountered a roving group of soldiers. Instead of sounding the alarm, they chose to be heroes. John motioned and his team headed for the trees as if trying to escape. The soldiers followed, determined to catch their prey. John ducked aside just inside the treeline and let the group of five soldiers pass him by. He left cover as the last one passed him. Moving silently, he slapped his hand over the soldier’s mouth and slit his throat. John lowered the body to the side as blood sprayed into the air. The next two were side by side so John pulled his second knife. He waited until they had their heads turned away from each other as they scanned for his team. He stepped between them and plunged his blades into their throats. A choked off cry from one of them drew the attention of the last pair. John jerked his blades free, lunged forward and jabbed the blades into the throats of the last two. Blood spattered as he yanked his blades free. He whistled and the team regrouped.

“You could have signaled us, Colonel,” Mehra whispered.

“Nah. There were only five of ‘em,” John replied.

“You’re gonna hurt our little Marine feelings, Sir.”

John slung his arm over the stocky Sergeant’s shoulder. “To make it up to you, you can leave these folk some going away presents.”

“Thank you, Sir. We accept your apology.”

They hid the bodies. If the natives were to see them, the team would be discovered again.

They crept back to town and made it to the fortress without encountering any more soldiers. Up close, the fort turned out to be poorly-made, constructed of ill-fitted local rock. The partially open gate was well-constructed, and there were no guard towers, but torchlight flickered through the opening. After a long look, John signaled for the team to pull back.

“Campbell, Jones, do you have your climbing claws?” John asked.

“Yes, Sir,” They both answered.

“Excellent. You will climb to the top and take out anyone in the courtyard. The rest of us will go in through the gate.”

As the two Marines headed off, John let out a soft sigh. At his side, Lorne cocked his head and gave him a quizzical expression.

“Just wishing for a jumper.”

“The SGC does have one, Sir.”

“It was unavailable. Apparently, someone decided to disassemble one of the drive pods to do a set of CAD blueprints because, for some unknown reason, they didn’t like the ones we sent from Atlantis’ maintenance database.”

A soft warble caught their attention. Jones and Campbell were up top and ready. John acknowledged the signal and motioned to the rest. “Time to go.”

The soft puffs from the silenced P90’s were barely audible as they crossed to the gates. He peered through then slipped inside. A soldier who'd been napping against the wall startled awake as one of his fellows thumped to the ground. John silenced him with a quick jab of his knife then motioned the rest through.

John scanned the fort as the rest settled around him. He decided to take a chance and open the linkage between them. He needed to know which direction Cam was. He informed Lorne of his intent and closed his eyes. Pain rushed through the bond, but John had been prepared and let it flow through him. He shifted and turned his head slowly then opened his eyes as he got a fix. He sent Cam as much love as he could along with reassurance that rescue was on the way.

Closing the connection down to a bare trickle, John tightened his grip on his knives. Time to get to work.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Lorne swallowed and willed his stomach to behave. He was keeping up with Sheppard but watching his CO ruthlessly slaughter the population of the fort was difficult. He’d been in the military a long time but had never seen anything like this up close. It made the report about the Genii invasion believable. Mehra had joined in, but she was nowhere close to Sheppard’s count. Uncomfortable with knife work, Lorne had switched to his silenced Beretta.

Lorne jumped as blood fountained when Sheppard sliced the throats of three soldiers that he had shot. They were unconscious, but his angle had been shallow and he’d been unable to get killing shots.

“Red rain.”

Lorne turned to peer at Mehra. “What?”

“Something I’d heard of but never seen. It’s when you get so much blood flying that it falls like rain.”

Lorne gulped again. “I wish I hadn’t seen it.”

Mehra patted him on the shoulder. “Don’t feel sorry about it. Not everyone has the stomach for this.” She stared at Sheppard and frowned. “The Colonel does, but he’s gonna crash hard when this is over.”

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Cam blinked open bleary eyes and peered at his companions. Daniel, Teal’c, and Vala were dirty and bloody, but they were alive. Martin was unconscious, Cooley watching over him. James and Arthur were missing.

“The others?”

Daniel shook his head as he and Vala helped Cam upright. “Dead. After you went down, they were used as object lessons to the rest of us. They were going to kill you as well, but Vala convinced them that you were more valuable alive.”

A sensation in his head captured his attention and he shifted in excitement. Unfortunately, the motion caused his leg to flare with pain again and he writhed as fire shot up from the wound. He felt the pain flow through his bond with John and breathed deeply to control it. He didn’t want to dump it on John. A flood of love and reassurance smothered the remainder of the pain and left him smiling.

His team looked at him like he was crazy when he started chuckling.

“Cameron, are you alright?” Daniel asked.

“I’m fine, but John is here,” he said. “These fuckers are gonna regret being born.”

Vala handed him a canteen. “I’m glad that John is on the way, but his cuteness is not scary.”

Cam coughed and Daniel explained. “He’s plenty scary. You can see it in the way he moves. He reminds me of Jack.”

“He’s former black ops,” Cam said after taking a drink.

Daniel tugged Vala to one side and explained what that meant. Cam closed his eyes and focused on their bond. John was coming closer.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Molar the Strong stretched as he rose from his bed. He hated sleepless nights. He considered calling for one of their kept women, but decided that he wasn’t in the mood for sex. Ah, well, that’s what captives were for. He’d play with the one that was supposed to be valuable. Just because he said he’d let him live didn’t mean he had to be pretty.

Molar dressed and belted on his knife then sauntered through the corridors. A shiver ran up his spine as he noted how silent the big stone heap was tonight. The silence was thick and made him feel like he was walking in a tomb.

He paused in the midst of one intersection and peered down the intersecting corridor. He thought he’d seen a shadow move. The motion wasn’t repeated and he laughed to himself as he continued on. The movement had probably been one of the torches flickering in a draft.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

John held his breath as he flatted himself to the wall. The bulk who had just crossed the corridor almost spotted them.

“We should follow him,” Lorne whispered in his ear. “Anyone dressed that well is usually important.”

John nodded and signaled for the group to proceed. The same thought had crossed his mind, plus the guy was headed in the direction he felt Cam the strongest.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Cam woke abruptly as someone shook him awake. “Wha’s up?”

Daniel was tugging on his arm. “You need to see this.”

As Cam gained his feet, he could make out the sounds of a fight. Hope rose in his chest at the thought that John had arrived. One arm draped across Daniel’s shoulders, Cam peered through the small barred window in the door at the wide open area in the center.

Two figures were trading blows in the central area between the cells, one slight and one huge. Cam was able to identify John when he spotted his hair in silhouette.

“Who’s the other?”

Daniel straightened his glasses. “I believe that’s our host. He calls himself Molar the Strong.”

The pool of light from three torches illuminated the combatants as they danced across the floor. Cam was finally able to get a good look at the two. John was dressed in all black, combat knives gripped in his hands. Seeing John in all black was seriously hot. He’d have to get John to dress like that more often. The black cloth had an odd sheen and appeared wet in several places. Cam had a suspicion that the stains were blood, but he couldn’t tell if it was John’s or someone else’s. Molar had a long knife similar to a machete gripped in one meaty fist, his garish clothing ripped and bloody in several prime locations.

“Stand and face me, worm,” Molar cried as John slid past him.

“Not gonna happen,” John said as he darted behind Molar, blades flashing in the light. A spray of blood marked the hit and Molar roared in pain as he dropped to his knees on the stone floor.

John spun and charged at the filthy behemoth. Flares of light traced John’s circular path as his arms wove a deadly pattern, Molar’s pain-filled cries keeping pace with John’s thrusts.

“Did you think you would get away with it?” John asked as he paced around the wounded Molar. “Did you think we were weak?”

Molar spat a gob of blood and saliva towards John. “Everyone knows the Tau’ri are weak and that they will pay tribute if they are threatened.”

John stalked up and wrapped one hand in Molar’s long, stringy hair. “We call it making allies and providing assistance,” John said as he yanked Molar’s head back to expose the line of his thick neck. A thick hand shot up and swatted John backwards. John rolled and came to his feet as Molar staggered upright.

“Terran cur, you shall pay for your insolence! Your head shall decorate my gates as a warning to all who would oppose me!”

“Nah, I like my head where it is. I’m kinda attached to it.”

“I’ll kill you,” Molar roared and charged at John. John planted his feet, his knives held loosely near his body. Cam wanted to yell for John to move, but his throat was frozen with fear.

Just as it seemed that Molar would crush John into the ground, John sidestepped, his blades flashing in unison. Molar stopped and turned towards John, the machete raised high. John spun on his heel to face Molar once again.

“You’re dead.” John turned and walked away.

The arm with the machete drooped as a strange look crossed Molar’s face. He opened his mouth, but no sound emerged. A shallow red cross appeared on Molar’s throat and Cam thought John had missed and only scratched him. Suddenly the red lines split wide and blood gushed forth in a fountain of gore.

Cam blinked as the arterial spray painted a wide swath of floor bright red, but he didn’t flinch. The same could not be said of others. Behind him he could hear Cooley puking out his last two or three meals. At his side, Daniel grimaced while Vala and Teal’c watched impassively, apparently unfazed by the fight or its end.

The door rattled and Mehra poked her head in, a smirk on her face. “Heard you folks needed a hand?”

“Dusty,” Vala called, happy to see the Marine Sergeant.

“Vala,” Mehra nodded to her friend. “Jackson, Mitchell, where are Cooley and Martin?”

“Here.”

The call from Cooley came from the back where he was once again watching over Martin.

Mehra turned and motioned to someone. Another woman entered the cell carrying a medic’s pack. She looked Cam over then headed for Martin.

“He took a hard hit to the head,” Bell said. “Campbell, Jones, get the stretcher set up while I start an IV.” She finished with Martin and Vala took the IV bag while she examined Cam. “Well, Mitchell, you certainly know how to cause a bit of excitement.”

Cam frowned at her statement. He knew Bell from seeing her around the Mountain and it was obvious she was trying too hard to be chipper. It was clear that the situation was hard for her, but she was still pulling through to do her job. “How … _ow_ … so?”

She jerked her head towards the antechamber where the fight took place. “When O’Neill found out your team had been captured, he decided to send Shep and a handpicked group to rescue you instead of sending one of the combat teams.”

Cam didn’t feel like telling the entire story. Only a handful of people knew about his relationship with John and fewer still knew about their bond. The SGC didn’t operate under the rules of DADT, but Jack had asked that he and John be discrete. “Shep and I are old friends and I think he’s been a bit restless lately. O’Neill probably saw it as a way for Shep to burn off some frustrations.”

Bell looked up as a shadow fell across their position and flinched. Cam lifted his head and spotted John standing in the doorway. A pulse of concern made its way through their bond as John evaluated Cam’s physical well-being.

“Can he walk?”

“I’d prefer that he didn’t,” Bell said. “The projectile is lodged near the bone and may have fractured it.”

John’s impassive gaze shifted to SG-1. “Daniel, would you …?”

Daniel nodded.

“We will carry him to the Stargate,” the Jaffa vowed.

Bell bound Cam’s leg with occasional wild-eyed glances up at John. Cam didn’t know why she was giving John those looks, but it wasn’t his problem at the moment.

They were going home.


	11. Monster

Cam woke to the rustle of paper and turned his head enough to see Daniel seated by his bed. “Hey.”

“Cam. Good to see you awake,” Daniel said as he set aside his book and picked up a cup with a straw in it.

Cam sipped the water gratefully. “How …?”

“It’s been sixteen hours,” Daniel said. He leaned over and pressed the call button to let the staff know Cam was awake.

“Where’s John?” Cam looked around in case his mate was sleeping in a corner of the private room.

“I have no idea. He made his report, checked on you after his check-up then disappeared.” Daniel pinched the bridge of his nose. “This is the same thing Jack used to do after certain types of missions. He’d take care of the official stuff then disappear. We eventually got tired of being shut out and Sam placed a tracker on his truck so the next time he disappeared we followed him.”

Doctor Lam chose that moment to waltz in and Cam lost the opportunity to quiz Daniel more. He touched the bond he shared with John but got only a faint impression of the other man’s presence. Wherever he was, John had shut the bond down to a trickle.

Lam was still there when Vala entered. She healed his leg and many of the cuts he’d collected during their capture, but Lam stopped her before she went too far and passed out. After another exam and a trip through the scanner, Cam was released from the infirmary.

Daniel stayed by his side and helped Cam trace John’s movements during the intervening hours. When they found out that John had signed out and left the Mountain, Cam and Daniel checked the parking lot. Cam’s black Mustang was missing.

“Well, at least we know what he left in,” Daniel stated.

They went back inside and Cam booted up his laptop. He opened the tracking program Bill Lee had written for him after his car was stolen one night by a crazed member of an SGC team who had escaped confinement. Cam let out a sigh of relief when the map showed that the car was at his apartment. Hopefully, John was still with the car.

Daniel drove him home and Cam eased out of the car when they reached his apartment. The Goa’uld healing device worked great, but it didn’t take care of the aches and pains. Aware Daniel was waiting, Cam focused on his bond with John. “He’s here.”

“Do you need me to come in?” Daniel asked.

“No. I think it’s better if you don’t. I’ll call if I need anything,” Cam replied.

“Be careful. If he’s as much like Jack as I think he is, John is still on edge from the mission.”

Cam stepped away from Daniel’s truck and headed for his apartment. He had a hunch as to what was waiting for him, but he didn’t want to voice it aloud. He let his keys rattle when he unlocked the door, careful to not be too quiet.

He glanced into the lit kitchen and noticed that the cabinet where he kept his liquor was open. That wasn’t good. He had no idea what John was like drunk. He knew he got goofy and mellow after a few beers, but that was it.

“John?”

Silence met his call so Cam moved to the living room and stood still, listening intently. A barely audible rustle of fabric met his ears from the second bedroom. Cam tossed his jacket on the back of the nearest chair and walked down the hall. He paused in the doorway to allow his eyes to adjust to the lack of light in the room after the brightness of the other rooms.

“John, I know you’re in here. Answer me, please.”

A clink and a grunt sounded from the far side of the bed. Cam eased around the bed and stopped in shock. John was sprawled against the wall between the bed and the closet, the bottle of Scotch Jack had given him last year for Christmas near his right hand and half empty.

Cam knelt at the foot of the bed, out of range in case John got violent. “John, its Cam. Talk to me, baby.”

“Go ‘way. Don’ wanna talk.”

“I’m not going away. Now, please tell me what’s wrong?”

John picked up the Scotch and took another pull from it.

“I don’t know what happened, but that’s not going to solve it.”

John ducked his head and mumbled something unintelligible.

“Can you say that again?” Cam asked.

“You deserve someone better than a monster,” John whispered.

“Who the hell called you a monster?”

“Doesn’t matter. ‘S true anyway.”

Cam edged closer to John. “It does matter and it’s not true. You did what you had to in order to rescue us. Daniel filled me in.”

John turned bloodshot eyes on him and Cam was shocked by the despair and pain visible in his mate’s face.

“I killed 18 soldiers before we reached you. To some people that makes me a monster.”

“Those soldiers would have been just as dead if you had shot them on the way to the Gate.”

John reached for the Scotch again, but Cam had gently moved it out of his reach. When his hand didn’t encounter the bottle, John let it flop onto his lap.

“Seems you’re only a monster if you kill people with a knife,” John said woodenly.

“If you had come in guns blazing, I’d probably be dead. My team and what was left of SG9 too. Molar was only keeping me alive because I had value. You saved six lives,” Cam told him.

“Hmph. Tell that to Cooley. Accordin’ to him, I’m nothin’ but a butcher as a soldier would give an enemy a chance to fight back.”

“Bullshit. That mission was not a fight over a woman, it was a fight for life or death,” Cam said. “Heck, I hear Lorne and Mehra are organizing the Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard fan club. Campbell, Jones, Jordan, and Smith have already got their official decoder rings.”

“Tell ‘em to get a refund. Monsters don’ get fan clubs.”

Cam scooted closer to John and reached out to touch his hand. “You impressed Mehra, and she is one Marine who does not impress easily. Daniel told me she put in for transfer to Atlantis along with the other four Marines. That’s not the actions of someone who sees you as a monster.”

He inched forward and cupped his hands around John’s face. “When you killed over 60 Genii to protect Atlantis, did any of your Marines call you a monster?”

John shook his head as he tried to free himself from Cam’s grip unsuccessfully – his lover wasn’t going to let him go without a fight - and settled for dropping his chin once more.

“No, they looked you in the eye and were proud to call you their CO,” Cam said. “Do you know why?”

John stayed silent, his chin resting on his chest.

“Because you showed them that you would do whatever was necessary to protect them.” Cam forced his head up. “Look at me, baby. You are not a monster. Anyone that thinks you are needs to have their head examined. You are my soul mate and I love you. I would have done the same thing if our positions had been reversed.”

John opened his mouth to castigate himself further and Cam placed a gentle hand across his lips. “No. No more.” Cam stood and pulled John with him. “Now, we both need a shower and some sleep. You’ll feel better in the morning.”

John didn’t protest as Cam led him into the bathroom. Cam pushed him down on the toilet seat and filled a glass with cold water. “Drink that or you’ll be sick as a dog tomorrow.”

John took the glass and proceeded to drink it without a word.

Cam turned on the taps to let the water heat up while they undressed. He shucked his own clothes first while John finished his water. Cam took his boots off then tugged John upright. He decided to start with his BDU shirt and cursed the stiff fabric as he tried to unbutton it. The material crackled and dark flakes came off on his hands. Cam stared at the flakes for a minute before he realized what they were. He silently recited every curse he knew for the people who had made John feel like something inhuman. He finally wrestled the blood stiffened shirt off John and dropped it in the corner. He did the pants next and they were easier. The t-shirt and boxers followed in short order. Cam vowed to have everything cleaned tomorrow before John woke up. If he saw the blood-soaked clothes, he would only feel even worse than now.

With John naked, he could tell where his clothes had covered him as his skin was a different shade on those portions of his body. He prodded him into the shower.

“Close your eyes, baby, and let me take care of you.”

John nodded and closed his eyes.

Cam gently pressed him backwards until he was fully beneath the water. John’s skin turned pink as the blood got wet then changed to his normal sun-kissed gold as the water washed it away. When the blood started running from his hair, Cam was glad that John had his eyes closed. He was upset enough, he didn’t need more reminders. He grabbed the shampoo and started on John’s hair. He lathered it up and let it set for a bit while he scrubbed his torso. He went back and rinsed his hair then massaged the shampoo into it a second time. Cam pushed John against the wall while he washed his legs and feet then tugged him beneath the water to rinse his hair once more.

Cam quickly bathed while John leaned against the wall. He watched John as he rinsed off and was beginning to get worried. John was too … complacent. It could be the alcohol or it could be that he was hiding. He dried them off and prodded John into their bedroom while he contemplated the problem.

He pulled out boxers and tees for both of them and turned towards John.

“No.”

Cam was confused. “What?”

“No clothes. Not tonight,” John said, his voice soft. “I … I need to feel skin.”

Cam wrapped his arms around John and was heartened when John’s rose in return. John let his head drop onto Cam’s shoulder as he accepted the love Cam was offering.

“John, open the bond. Let me feel you.”

John shook his head. “You don’t want that. The darkness will take over.”

Cam shoved him onto the bed then slid atop him. “We all have a dark streak in our souls. Open the bond and look at mine. That doesn’t make us monsters. The people who butchered Sergeant James and Corporal Arthur were monsters.”

“I guess.”

“I’m right and you know it. Any other time you’d have laughed in their faces. They caught you during the adrenaline crash and it’s stuck in your head.” Cam smiled at John. “Now I’m gonna have to blow your mind and get that ugly thought out of there.”

Cam rose and went to a box in the top of his closet and returned with a length of silk rope. He looped one end around one of John’s wrists then threaded the rope through the headboard before securing the other wrist.

John tugged on it a few times and fingered the loops then relaxed.

“I prefer to do this than use handcuffs,” Cam told him. “If something happened you could free yourself easily.”

John nodded.

“You said you wanted to feel skin so you could get rid of the feeling of the blood on your skin. Well, I’m gonna give you skin – hands, lips, tongue, and my cock. I’m going to tease you and jack you and stripe our come all over your chest.”

“Cam.”

With just his name, Cam could tell John’s attitude was starting to change. He put his plan into action and worked John over, licking and sucking on his long, gorgeous neck; biting on his nipples until John writhed beneath him; sucking and licking his velvety shaft until John’s breathing changed to short pants. His own cock hung untouched and heavy with need, flushed and close to spilling its load. Cam rubbed lube on his dick and John’s then shifted so their cocks rubbed together then rocked back and forth until they both shot their loads, the pearly streams decorating John’s chest. Their orgasms also broke open the chokehold John had on their bond and his mate’s emotions flooded into Cam.

Cam leaned back then reached forward and smeared their mixed spunk across John’s chest like a child with finger paints.

John lifted his head and strained to see what Cam was going. “What are you doing?”

“Marking you.”

“I think you did that already.” John dropped his head back to the pillow. “I’m gonna have to wear a collared shirt tomorrow.”

Cam smirked at him. “Nah, I thought you’d wear a t-shirt so you could show them off.”

John raised his head again. “Showing them off is not being discreet.”

Cam untied John then went and fetched a warm wash cloth to clean them up. John wriggled beneath the covers and curled on his side. Cam turned off the light then slid in beside him and gathered John close.

Cam had one more thing to do. He had to get to the root of the problem. Something had happened to cause this and he wanted to know what. “Want to tell me what set you off?”

“I saw their eyes,” John whispered. “They were afraid of me.”

Cam wanted to weep at the raw pain in John’s voice. “Who?”

“Cooley and the doc who checked me over. I saw them talking, and whatever Cooley told her, she was afraid of me. She could barely get near me to do her job.”

“Don’t worry about them. It’s their problem, not yours.” He pulled John into a deep and tender kiss then snuggled John to his chest, his fingers threading through John’s hair until he fell asleep. Cam lay awake a bit longer. He’d told John that those two were not his problem and he’d told the truth. What he hadn’t told John was that the pair were about to have a problem in the shape of an SGC General.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Nausea sent John shooting from their warm bed and heading from the bathroom. He hit the tile in front of the toilet and bent over as the contents of his stomach erupted. God, what the fuck had he been thinking by trying to drown out their voices with alcohol. He knew when Cam came in and was grateful for his silent support. He picked up the damp cloth and wiped his face with it when the spasms eased.

“Thanks.”

“Feel any better?” Cam asked quietly.

“Not really.” John rested his head on his forearm. “What the fuck was I thinking last night?”

“I think someone told you something that you didn’t expect to hear at the worst possible time to hear it,” Cam told him.

John thought about yesterday’s events. “Yeah, that sums it up.”

Another bout of nausea rolled through John and he doubled over once more.

“Does that happen often?”

John leaned against the wall when his stomach settled. “What, puking? Only when I’m stupid.”

Cam smiled and handed John a cup of diluted mouthwash. “No, the crash hitting that hard.”

John spat in the toilet and passed the glass back. “No, but I’ve always been fortunate to have a good friend to keep me from drowning.”

Cam knelt at his side and John leaned into him.

“Thank you.”

Cam cupped the back of his head gently. “You don’t have to thank me. I’m your strength as you are mine.”

“Since you’re being so strong, could you get me some Tylenol and a gun?”

Cam stood and reached into the medicine cabinet for the bottle. “The Tylenol I understand, but the gun?”

John swallowed the tablets then downed a glass of water behind them. “So I can shoot the miniature Wraith in my head that’s using the pickaxe on my brain.”

A hand appeared in his view and John used it to pull himself up.

“Well, this calls for my Daddy’s patented hangover remedy,” Cam told him as he herded John into the bedroom. John aimed for the bed, but Cam stopped him. “You need to eat before you lay back down.”

The thought of food was enough to turn John green. “Urgh, don’t mention that stuff.”

Cam turned with a pair of John’s sweats in his hand and a twinkle of mischief in his eye. “What, food? A good greasy meal is part of the cure.”

The mention of grease sent John scrambling for the bathroom once again as his stomach found a reserve that it hadn’t puked up yet. When it calmed after the latest bout, John closed his eyes and rested his head on the cool porcelain rim.

John shivered when Cam placed one of his hands in the center of his back and started rubbing soothing circles.

“I’m sorry.”

John didn’t bother to move – he hurt too much. “You’re an asshole.”

Cam settled next to him and the warmth coming off the other man reminded John that he was still nude from the night before.

“I shouldn’t have teased you like that. If I had checked our bond, I’d have realized that you were serious.”

John rested his aching head on Cam’s shoulder. “I’ll forgive you if you help me up off this floor and into some clothes.”

Cam placed a light kiss on his forehead. “I was trying to do that a few minutes ago.”

“You were also picking on me.”

“True.” Cam rose to his feet and pulled John off the floor once again. John leaned into Cam’s embrace as they walked into the bedroom again. Several minutes later, John was warm and dressed for the first time since he’d shot out of bed.

Cam puttered around in the kitchen while John channel surfed from the comfort of the couch. He came out a few minutes later and handed John a mug.

“Here, drink up.”

John eyed the mug, wary of what it might contain based on what some of his squadron buddies had boasted about as hangover remedies.

“It’s nothing weird, I promise,” Cam told him. “It’s chamomile tea with honey.”

John took a sip then took a larger swallow. “It’s tasty.”

“It’s supposed to be,” Cam told him as he settled on the couch beside him. “If it didn’t taste good, you wouldn’t drink it.”

John finished the tea then passed the mug back to Cam. “What’s for lunch?”

“Breakfast actually. It’s still early.”

“Damn, that means I’m late.” John jumped – as much as the heavily hung-over colonel could jump - from the couch in an attempt to run to the room to get ready for work.

Cam grabbed his arm and pulled him back to the couch. “I already took care of that, plus it’s customary that you get the next two days off after a mission.”

“Oh. Thanks.” John sensed there was something Cam wasn’t telling him, but his head hurt enough that he didn’t feel like pursuing it.

Cam rose and headed back to his kitchen. John heard Cam’s phone ring, but the combination of the tea and the Tylenol had left him drowsy.

Cam woke him from a light doze with a plate of scrambled eggs with cheese and bacon bits, toast, and jelly. “Here.”

John straightened and took the plate. “Thanks.”

“Jack called. Seems Cooley couldn’t keep his mouth shut and Lorne overheard him. He took it to Landry and Landry called in Jack. Cooley started mouthing off at the two Generals about how you were a monster. Needless to say, Jack did not take it well, being former Special Ops himself.”

John had guessed that one. Special Ops training left an indelible stamp on you that one operative could recognize in another. It was one reason why his laid-back image confused so many people. It made them underestimate him until it was too late.

“So what’d they do with him?”

“You’ll love it,” Cam told him with a grin. “They sent him to Afghanistan so he could ‘cool off’.”

John stared at Cam then burst out laughing. They sent a hot head to the desert to cool off. That was so military it made sense.

“Cooley also mentioned Doctor Addison’s reaction while he was ranting. She was called in and admitted that what Cooley told her about you scared her. She’s fairly new in the SGC, she came from Area 51 where she did research. She hadn’t been shooting her mouth off, so Jack gave her a choice: stay in the Program and go back to Area 51 or leave the Program and transfer to New Jersey. She decided to take New Jersey.”

John shook his head. A doctor that had spent who knows how long doing research at Area 51 should have been transferred to the Academy Hospital to get experience treating soldiers and refugees from the SGC before being sent to the SGC. And she should only have been transferred to the SGC if she could deal with it. If not, they should have left her at the Academy.

“What about Bell? I haven’t seen her since we came back.” Bell was a good combat medic, and she kept her head in the field.

Cam set his empty plate aside and knelt at John’s feet. “First, you are not to blame for Cooley and Addison’s actions. You did what you felt was necessary to obtain our freedom. And you did the right thing. Jack sounded proud of you on the phone, and Teal’c told me on the way to the gate that I had chosen a courageous mate.” Cam said the last part imitating the Jaffa’s deep voice, making John smile a little.

“I know.” John looked Cam in the eye. “I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”

“Good. Now, Bell called to ask about you. Jack gave her this number apparently. She was concerned for your wellbeing. She wanted to talk to you but you were asleep. I reassured her and she sent you best wishes and everything. I know she was a little shocked out there yesterday, but Jack assured me that she’s okay with it. He said that it took her a little bit to process everything but that she wanted our number to check on you means that she’s done processing and she’s okay.”

“Good. She’s good at her job, I would have hated seeing her go.” Cam nodded.

“Oh, and Jack said you have two weeks to finish your selections. The Daedalus will be here by then and the engineers want time to fix ‘er up and get the supplies loaded before she carts you and your crazies to Pegasus. You then have a week off before you leave.”

John finished his breakfast and handed the dish to Cam then yawned. “Thanks. For everything.”

Cam leaned forward and kissed him. “Go to sleep. You’re going to be useless until you get rid of that headache.”

Another yawn threatened to split John’s head. “Hmm, and what are you gonna do?”

“I’m going to keep an eye on you and write my report.”

John stood and swayed for a moment. “Well, I’m going to lie down on the bed, so if you want to keep an eye on me …”

John made it to the bedroom and crawled under the covers. He’d just gotten comfy when Cam followed him in as he’d known he would.

“Don’t complain to me if the typing keeps you awake,” Cam said as he crawled onto the bed.

John blinked heavy-lidded eyes at him. “It won’t. I can sleep with Rodney’s typing.”

John felt Cam’s amusement through the bond. At least he hadn’t completely shielded that last night or he’d be on his way to the infirmary with a severe migraine.

“I don’t know how. His typing sounds like a machine gun firing.”

“It’s comforting. Means nothing’s tryin’ to kill us.”

Warm fingers carded through his hair and massaged his scalp. “Go to sleep, John.”

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Cam sighed with relief. He’d managed to keep his pique over yesterday’s events carefully under wrap. He reached down and ran his fingers through John’s hair. It was so soft and thick that his fingers itched to touch it. He’d known that reporting Cooley to General Landry had been the right thing to do. It didn’t hurt that Lorne had also reported him. He knew that not everyone had the stomach for wetwork, but it was career suicide to call a superior officer a monster simply because you didn’t like his methods. There were monsters out there, but John was not one of them.

He finished his report then checked his email and groaned at the sheer amount of it in his inbox. Most of it was junk which he quickly deleted, but one item intrigued him. It was from a buddy of his from Flight School who was currently overseeing an Air Show at Peterson Air Force Base. Barry heard he was stationed nearby and thought he might like to come. Cam wrote him a reply and sent it. He would take John with him. It would be good for both of them to get out and they could do a bit of unofficial scouting while they were there.

John whimpered and shifted restlessly against his thigh. Cam reached down and stroked his thumb along John’s neck, right below his hairline where the hair narrowed to a point at the nape. John let out a soft moan when Cam rubbed in that one spot. He massaged harder and John relaxed with a groan of pleasure. Cam filed that spot away for later. He’d have to see what kind of reaction he got during sex. Just the thought of John limp and pliant beneath his hands was pushing all his buttons.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The next two weeks flew by. John liked the thought of going to the Air Show when Cam mentioned it, and the feeling of relief he got through the bond made him glad he’d agreed. They drove down the day before the show with Cam doing the driving. John had spent the last two weeks in meetings and interviews to get his staff positions filled and to fill out his company. He was thankful the SGC had increased his complement of troops in order to better deal with the threat represented by the Wraith and to deal with increased scientific exploration.

Filling his TOE was also nerve-wracking as he had to justify every new piece of equipment. After one frustrating session, Jack had offered a hard-earned piece of advice, which was to use his after-action reports, a few pertinent financial reports and to talk fast. If he could point out instances where the item would have gained technology or given the Lanteans an advantage then the committees were more likely to approve it.

John didn’t like the advice, but he used it. His father had used similar tactics when facing the shareholders and it had been useful. Other than his desire to fly, he’d joined the military to escape from the corporate boardroom, but damned if it hadn’t found him. It seemed politics was politics whether you wore a suit and tie or dress blues.

He’d also made the visit to Ford’s kin. Lara, Aiden’s cousin, had insisted on speaking to him first. The visit was short, but nerve-wracking as Lara was suspicious and bordered on accusatory. He promised to do everything he could to find Aiden, but Pegasus was a big place. Realistically, all he could do was have the Gate teams keep their ears open for news.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Cam enjoyed the trip to Peterson. It was not long, but it was long enough for John to fall asleep in the passenger seat. He had not forgotten John’s promise to tell him how he’d ended up in Antarctica. For it to take privacy, beer, and pizza meant it was probably one heck of a story.

He decided to start the trip off by getting John to unwind without sex. This meant a trip to a golf course. John didn’t have his clubs with him, but he was able to rent a decent set at the range and played a full round of 18 holes. Cam drove the golf cart and watched. John had fun hitting the balls and shooting a very respectable 78, considering he hadn’t played a round in several years. Cam had fun watching John hitting the balls. The snug jeans and t-shirt John had on emphasized his lean musculature as he took his swings, and Cam had to tighten the reins on his self-control.

After golf, they drove to the air base and met Barry for lunch and a tour. Cam viewed the planes with an appreciative eye, but John was all over them, inspecting each like he was judging them. More than one ground crew were sporting red faces when John pointed out potentially fatal errors to them.

They were halfway through their tour when Barry received a call.

“Struthers did what?” Barry yelled into his phone. He listened intently for several minutes as the caller told him what the unfortunate Struthers did. “And Greene can’t fly because …?”

“Food poisoning. I told him to stay away from those seedy diners down in the Bottom, but no. Now he’s sick, Struthers is in traction and I need to replace the Flying Bulls as the lead-in for the Thunderbirds.” Barry snapped his phone shut and let out a sigh. “This is great. We’ve been hyping having a helicopter performing aerobatics and now this. I must be cursed.”

Cam had been listening while John was over making nice with the crew of an F-117 Nighthawk. “Sounds like you have a problem.”

Barry swiped one hand through his thinning hair. “Yeah, you could say that.” He eyed Cam thoughtfully. “Hey, you wouldn’t be willing to …?”

“I would, but I’ve got something better in mind. What kind of craft do the Flying Bulls use?”

Barry scratched his head. “I think they were planning to fly an MBB BO105.” At Cam’s blank look he explained that it was similar to a Huey.

Cam started to yell, but one of the ground crews started up a plane to test its engines, so he resorted to sending a pulse through their bond instead. John looked up and Cam motioned him over. John shook hands with the crew chief and ambled over.

“What’s up?” he asked once they moved to a quieter location.

Cam and Barry explained and Cam popped the question. “Can you do it?”

“Sure. What’ve you got on base?”

Barry peered at him skeptically, but he rattled off the copters currently on base, both those stationed there and those in for the show.

“I’ll take the Cobra.” John stated.

Barry shook his head. “That’s Major Ramirez’. I’ve heard he treats that copter better than his girlfriend.”

John straightened. “Ramirez? Tony Ramirez? Used to fly out of Nellis?”

“Yep,” Barry seemed surprised by John’s recognition.

“He’ll let me have it.”

Barry pulled out his phone and sent a short text. “He’s at the Officer’s Club. If he lets you borrow that copter, I’ll buy you both dinner at the restaurant of your choice.”

Thirty minutes later, Barry was shaking his head in amazement. Not only had Ramirez agreed to the loan, but he insisted that John give her a test flight.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

John was thrilled to be back in the air again. Flying the Jumpers was cool as they were extremely aerodynamic unless they lost power and that he could fly them with only his mind. Flying a helo was a totally different experience. It took concentration, coordination, and skill. Flying for the sheer delight of it was more relaxing than meditation for him. Maybe Teyla should have tried getting him to meditate in a Jumper. She’d probably have been more successful.

He’d have to find out what music they’d been planning to use. The crowd wanted aerobatics, they’d get aerobatics.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The huge grin on John’s face as he dismounted from the sleek helicopter told Cam all he needed to know. The bet with Barry called for the substitution of steak for pizza but left the plan intact.

They consulted Zagat’s guide and found the best steakhouse in the area that didn’t require reservations. After dinner and dessert, Cam dropped John at their hotel and stopped at a grocery store and picked up a six pack of beer and some munchies.

“What’s the beer for?” John asked as he watched Cam unpack.

“Weeks ago, you promised to tell me how you ended up in Antarctica. You said it would take pizza, privacy, and beer. Well, you got steak instead of pizza and you can only have one beer, but we have the privacy.”

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

John flopped on the bed stunned. He’d forgotten about that. He accepted the beer Cam handed him and turned it in his hands as he decided where to start.

“It all started two and a half years ago. I met Captain Jared Holland when I was transferred to the 55th Rescue Squadron as a Combat Recovery Officer. He wasn’t gay or bi, or so he claimed, but he wasn’t picky either when it came to sex. We became friends with benefits. Due to our flight schedules, we didn’t get together as often as either of us would’ve liked, but a little frottage goes a long way towards relieving stress. Things went well until we got a new CO. Colonel Hector Jones. He was a pencil pusher with delusions of grandeur. I think he suspected me or Holland, but he never caught us. We were roommates, so it was easy to hide.”

John popped the top on the beer and drank a hefty swallow.

“Anyway, we adjusted and were even more careful. The situation settled until one fateful flight. Jared had been given bad intel and he knew it. He filed a protest, but Jones had the authority to force the issue. He decided to believe the intel and sent Jared out.”

“I was in what was laughingly referred to as an Officer’s Club with a bunch of the other pilots listening to the chatter when Jared comes on the radio requesting evac. We waited to hear one of us paged to the flight line, but no summons came. Since I wasn’t scheduled for a flight that day, I got my chopper ready and radioed in to confirm flight and Jones told me no. I argued that we don’t leave men behind. He said the area was too dangerous. The same area he’d said was only inhabited by goats the previous day. He stopped my crew from coming with me. Listening to Jared on the radio, I knew I couldn’t leave him so I took off.”

John took another hit off his beer.

“The Air Force should’ve hired those goats as they were really well-armed. I dodged most of their shots, but one eventually got my tail rotor. Luckily, I was near Jared’s position and I was able to set down in one piece. I grabbed my radio, sidearm, and the small field kit then high-tailed it out of the area.”

“You found Holland?” Cam asked.

“Yeah, I found him. The rest of his crew had died in the crash along with his evacuees. I picked him up and we took off. I heard vehicles and knew they were searching for us so I detoured to the wreck of an old Soviet helo I’d seen flying in. We used that for cover while I called base. That’s how I got this.”

John pulled back his armband to reveal an ugly scar on his wrist.

“I did what I could for Jared, but I didn’t have a lot of supplies. Only two of the canteens in the kit were full and half of the protein bars were missing. I gashed my wrist getting us out of the wreck after the sun went down.”

John stared out the window at the setting sun, lost in his memories. He’d known Jared was dying, but the thought of leaving him was unthinkable. If the insurgents had found him before he died, they’d have tortured him.

“John?”

Cam’s voice broke him out of his loop.

“Jared died the day after I found him. It took me three days to walk out of the desert with his body. I refused to lay him down and leave him. When I got back, I was taken to the infirmary and placed under arrest. Once I recovered, I stood trial for disobeying orders. It was my good fortune that my JAG lawyer was an awesome investigator. He found out that orders had been issued authorizing the rescue, but my CO withheld acknowledgement until after I left.”

Cam came over and handed John another beer as he sat beside him on the bed. “He suspected the two of you and tried to get rid of you.”

John shrugged. “Maybe. I don’t know. I found out later that if Jared didn’t come back then his protest of the orders would be dismissed. Jones’ reputation would be secure. But, because I came back and could testify to the actual conditions, his goose was cooked because he should’ve asked for clarification of the intel or sent in a second copter for support. So, because he was a third cousin to some Senator, a deal was cut. I was sent to McMurdo instead of being given a dishonorable discharge or ending up in Leavenworth in exchange for keeping quiet. Colonel Jones was forced to take early retirement. The official story was that he was suffering from a stress-related illness. The truth was that if he didn’t retire then the whole mess would go before a judge and his connections wouldn’t have saved him.”

John popped the second can open and took a drink. “I put the time in Antarctica to good use. The pure flying playing taxi driver washed a lot of the darkness off my soul. I also finished my Ph.D. and got a second Masters, neither of which Rodney has yet to discover.”

Cam snaked an arm around John and he leaned into it gratefully.

“Were you in love with Jared?”

“At the time I thought maybe, but he was too straight or too repressed. Sex was sex to him, but he had a line that he wouldn’t cross. We stuck to blowjobs, hand jobs, and rubbing off on each other. And he had no interest in loving a guy. He wanted a nice wife and a bunch of kids one day… you know, the American dream.”

John bowed his head as remembrance flowed over him of the times he and Jared had spent together. After his disastrous relationship with Nancy, he’d stayed aloof for a long time, but he’d fallen hard for Jared. He should’ve known better, but he’d been so starved for touch that he couldn’t resist. He didn’t realize he’d said it aloud until Cam wrapped him up in a hug.

“Hey, baby. It’s alright. We have each other.” Cam took the beer from his hand and set it aside. “I think he helped you love again and I’m glad for it.”

John shifted to face Cam and rested his head on Cam’s shoulder. “I know he did. And losing him got me you.”

“We’ll drink a toast to him after the air show tomorrow.” Cam shoved a bottle of water in his unresisting hand. “Drink that otherwise you’re gonna be sorry tomorrow.”

“Will not. I only had one and a half beers.”

They settled against the headboard, cuddled together, and watched _Back to the Future_ on the TV. It was obvious that Cam wanted to make sure that John was okay before they went to sleep.

As he got ready for bed after the movie went off, John felt as though a weight had been lifted from his mind. It had felt good to tell the story to Cam. They both had secrets, things they couldn’t tell, but they had plenty of things that they’d both kept secret that could be shared.

He crawled into bed and ran his fingers through the fur on Cam’s chest. He’d never had a lover that had chest hair and now he knew why all of his had loved running their fingers across his chest. “You need to sleep bare-chested more often.”

John felt Cam’s chuckle rumble through his body. “Go to sleep.”

John shifted to look into Cam’s face. “Aren’t you forgetting something?”

Cam raised a shadowed hand and started ticking things off. “Brushed my teeth, went pee, put on clean underwear, and washed my feet. Nope, didn’t forget anything.”

John raised up and planted an elbow in the middle of Cam’s chest. “Sure about that?” he drawled.

“Oh, you want a kiss? I thought you were too busy molesting my fur.”

John shifted and rested more of his weight on his elbow and Cam let out an _oof_. “Yes, I want a kiss. Otherwise I’ll tell Vala that you’re neglecting me.”

“She’d just laugh and drag you into a closet for hot monkey sex.”

“Okay, McKay then. I’m sure he could make you miserable.”

“Oh no, not McKay!”

John could hear the smirk in Cam’s voice. “Cameron Franklin Mitchell, if you don’t kiss me right now, you will be sleeping on the floor.”

“Can’t have that. You might get cold, and if I’m on the floor I won’t be able to warm you up.”

John didn’t resist when a muscular arm snaked up and pulled him down for a searing kiss that left him panting for breath.

“Better?”

“Much,” John replied as he snuggled in. “Good night Cam.”

“Good night John. Sleep well.”

“I will ‘cause I’m with you.”


	12. Flying High Again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, a special thanks to DorothyOz for exercising her beta skills upon this lovely tale. Any other mistakes are mine.
> 
> Thanks to all of you for reading and leaving me lots of comments and kudos. John and Cam are thrilled.

The morning of the Air Show, John woke surrounded by warmth. Sometime during the night, Cam had decided he was cold and wrapped him up in a decent imitation of an octopus. Not that John was complaining, but he needed to get up before he embarrassed himself and Cam’s grip was tight. He heaved a sigh and snaked a hand back to run along Cam’s ribs, his fingers ghosting over smooth skin before he found the spot he was searching for. He turned his fingers under and worried at the spot until Cam snorted and released him. It was one of Cam’s few ticklish spots and was a trick he’d learned a few weeks ago in self-defense when he’d awakened in a similar situation.

With Cam’s grip loose, John slipped from the bed and made his way to the bathroom. He peered into the mirror and was surprised that he didn’t look any different. He felt different and it should’ve shown.

He showered and took care shaving, aware that a lot of Air Force brass would be watching. Flying was art to him; the skies his canvas and his aircraft the brush. Today he was going to paint a masterpiece because every move he made in that Cobra was ultimately going to reflect on Jack and he genuinely liked Jack. It helped that they both had served in Special Operations and that they hid the fact that they were smarter than they let on. Jack was also one of a very few of his commanding officers to look beyond his fluffy hair and laid-back attitude to see the diamond hard core of strength, loyalty, and determination.

A kiss on the cheek heralded Cam’s wakening.

“Good morning sunshine.”

“Morning, Cam.” John watched in the mirror as Cam turned the water on for his own shower.

“You should’ve woke me. We could’ve showered together.”

“I figured I’d let you sleep a bit more.”

Fingers tugged on his damp hair.

“You know, I’ve wondered how you get away with having your hair this long.”

John chuckled. “I have bad cowlicks, and as you know, there are only two ways to tame them – buzz them off to practically nothing or let them grow out a bit. My first CO after Flight School recognized my problem and made me keep it neat at the neck and reasonable everywhere else. My next CO was not as understanding. He felt that pilots should be the poster boys for the Air Force and insisted we look the part. To him, looking the part meant sharp creases, polished shoes, and very short hair.”

John glanced in the mirror at Cam as he stepped in the shower. “Even as short as your hair is, he’d have probably told you to see the barber.”

Cam poked his head out. “Are you serious? What was he, in the wrong service?”

“Yea, he was a Marine in an Air Force uniform. He made me go twice and each time he wasn’t pleased. The third time, he took me himself and wanted the barber to cut my hair the length he wanted it. The barber refused, which drew the attention of a Colonel who was having his hair neatened up. He told my CO to back off because my hair was already shorter than regulations required. Major Hill tried to protest, but the Colonel overruled him. Hill was transferred out two weeks later. Since then, unless it gets really long, my CO’s leave my hair alone.”

John ran a hand through his hair and eyed the length. “It’s a little long right now, but I haven’t had it trimmed since we got back.”

“There’s a hair salon downstairs. We can get it trimmed on our way out.”

“Actually, I think I’ll go now so I can shower again. Finish up and order us some breakfast.”

Cam grunted an affirmative so John pulled on his jeans and tee from yesterday and went to locate the hair salon.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Cam glanced at the clock as he took another sip of coffee. John had been gone an hour and he was starting to get worried, the feelings coming through the bond were confusing in their variety.

A click sounded and Cam looked up to see John push through the door, a disgruntled expression on his face.

“What’s wrong?”

“Got my haircut, no problem. Then the owner declared my hands were a disaster and wouldn’t let me leave without a manicure.”

Cam stood and wrapped John in a hug. “It’s alright. I still love you anyway, although that means we need to work on your escape techniques.”

John stuck out his bottom lip in an honest-to-God pout. “I get plenty of practice, thanks to the Wraith, Genii, and other assorted persons that think I’d be a great addition to their breeding stock or that want to hang my head on a pole for waking the Wraith.”

Cam shook him lightly. “Hey, none of that. Go rinse off and I’ll heat your breakfast up.”

John leaned in for a moment then headed for the shower. Cam had his breakfast on the small table when he stepped out. He took the opportunity to check John over. He was in excellent shape, lean muscle rippling under lightly tanned skin, the occasional scar reminders of the dangerous jobs they had. Cam moved up behind him and snatched the towel from his hands that John was drying his hair with.

“Sit. Eat.”

John opened his mouth then closed it. He probably had an inkling of what Cam had planned. He sat at the table and took a long drink of water.

Cam waited until he was occupied with eating then started drying his hair. John moaned and leaned backwards. Cam knew he liked having his head massaged and that it would put John into a good headspace for the show.

An hour later, they were headed out.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Rodney McKay was enjoying some peace and quiet. He had the lab all to himself, having run off the two lab monkeys someone had sent to help him, and Sheppard was off on a weekend trip with his boyfriend. The relationship didn’t make a lot of sense, but Rodney was happy that Sheppard had someone who genuinely cared for him.

He was monitoring a simulation on one laptop while reading reports on the other. A chime announced incoming email so he switched screens to see what new garbage someone had sent him.

“Oh, hello.”

Rodney opened the email from O’Neill to find a short message and an old incident report.

_Read this. It concerns a mutual friend. Afterwards, do what you feel best._

_O’Neill_

_PS – I never sent this and you never received it._

Rodney transferred the incident report and it’s attachments to an encrypted partition on his hard drive then scrubbed the email and its contents from the SGC’s servers. Not even Sam Carter could recover it when he was done.

He disconnected his laptop from the network then opened the file after making sure that none of the cameras could see his screen. He read through the incident report and accompanying dossier twice. Colonel Hector Jamison Jones didn’t know it, but he now had the smartest man in two galaxies as an enemy.

Tonight, he would find out the true meaning of hell on Earth.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Cam drove to the show, but used Barry’s suggestion and went to one of the side Gates instead of getting stuck in the long lines coming in the Main Gate. The Airman on duty approached the car as Cam stopped at the bar.

“Sir, this entrance is closed except for base personnel.”

Cam held out his and John’s ID along with the pass Barry had given him. “We’re performing in the show. Lieutenant Colonel Hollar put us on the authorized list.”

The Airman returned to his station then came back a moment later. “Colonel Hollar verified your pass. Here’s a map. I highlighted the route for you. Fair winds to you, sirs.” The Airman snapped off a salute as he motioned for his partner to raise the gate.

Cam was thankful for the map as he crossed the base. Frequent glances over at the public area made him grateful for Barry’s suggestion. The crowds were thick. He glanced over at John. He appeared relaxed, head back against the car seat as he stared out the window.

“Are you ready?”

“Hmm? Yeah. Just going over the routine in my head. You got your notes?”

Cam reached up and patted his pocket. “Yep, right here over my heart.”

They were silent for the remainder of the journey. Cam parked his Mustang near a similar group and smiled. Pilots. There were probably more muscle cars in this lot than at a car show.

A helpful Tech Sergeant signed them in and pointed them to the pilot’s locker room. True to his word, Barry had flight gear ready for John. There were several other pilots lounging around when they entered. Eyes darted to their collars and over half flew to their feet and saluted. A brief flare of annoyance lit up their bond as he and John returned the salutes.

“As you were, boys,” Cam drawled.

John opened the locker with the key he’d been given at the check-in and pulled out the gear inside. He’d brought his own boots and toiletries, but he’d needed a flight suit, helmet, flak jacket, and a pressure suit. Barry had asked about the necessity of the pressure suit until John explained that some of the aerobatic moves were high G.

He was glad Cam refrained from kissing him good luck. Things were tense enough for him without Cam flaunting their relationship. He changed quickly then went out to the flight line to inspect his borrowed copter. Ramirez was already there and they went over the Cobra’s maintenance log, as well as any peculiarities in handling that John hadn’t caught the day before.

Checks done, he found a quiet spot and settled in to read. He found it calming and did not get to do it as often as he’d like. He was so engrossed in the book he was reading that he jumped slightly when his radio went off.

“Sheppard.”

“Colonel, this is Lieutenant Sims in the Tower. You are T-minus 30 for show time.”

“T-minus 30 for show time acknowledged. Thanks, Tower.”

John tucked his book in one of his pockets, stopped by the bathroom then headed out. He did one final check then climbed in and started his pre-flight. It had been quite a while since he’d flown a Cobra solo so he took his time with the list. At T-minus 10, he started the generator and put the rotors in motion. The ground chief checked the motion and gave him a thumbs up to proceed. Working the cyclic and throttle, John brought the Cobra up to speed and lifted off smoothly.

“Sheppard, got your ears on?”

“Reading you loud and clear, Mitchell.” They’d decided on the drive over to keep things formal but friendly as they didn’t know who was listening. “Ready?”

“Ready,” John replied. The opening strains of AC/DC’s Thunderstruck poured from the cockpit radio, Cam voice overlaid on top. John had timed his approach to coincide with the music. He was close enough for the spectators to hear the beat of the blades when the lyrics started. At the line “you’ve been thunderstruck”, he shot over the crowd and into a steep climb. Flowing from one move to another, John pushed Cam’s chatter to the edge of his awareness and let go. He let every motion of the Cobra scream his enjoyment to all those gathered for the show. At that moment, it was just him, the chopper and the sky. No worries, no responsibilities, just blue sky.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Cam kept up the stream of information on the various moves John was performing as he watched his partner. He had to work hard to keep his cool as he watched John put the Cobra through loops, barrel rolls, corkscrews, and any other move he could coax the craft into, most of which were never envisioned by its designers. Watching John and feeling the sheer pleasure emanating from him had Cam seriously hot. If he got to visit Atlantis, maybe he and John could start a new version of the Mile High Club. After all, the Jumpers had to have some sort of autopilot for emergencies and stuff.

Cam turned as John flew off and hurried from the platform before anyone could stop him. Making his way through the crowd of spectators, he caught snatches of conversations, most of which were about John. Some thought the Cobra had been modified for the aerobatics, but most were impressed with the skill it took to perform those maneuvers with a copter that was not built to do them.

Once past the perimeter and away from the public area, Cam caught a ride to the hangar area. Looking for John, he spotted the Cobra coming in for a landing. The waves of enjoyment pouring off him made Cam smile. Now he knew what to do next time John had a bad day – take him flying.

John took a quick shower then put on a fresh flight suit. They had been asked to circulate through the crowd, which meant answering questions, posing for pictures, and even signing a few autographs. By the end of the day, John felt like he’d shook hands with half the population of Colorado. His arm was sore but the brass were happy so it was worth it.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Back at the hotel after another quiet dinner, Cam was watching the late news while John checked his email. The perky weathergirl had just finished giving the predictions for the coming week when John let out a deep groan and shook his head.

“I do not believe this!”

Cam twisted to peer at him over the back of the couch. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong, per se, but Rodney, he … I … here.” John thrust his laptop into Cam’s hands.

Cam accepted the machine and scrolled to the top of the email.

_Sheppard,_

_Read this and enjoy._

_McKay_

_PS – I think you’ll like this too._

**_This_** was a link to a news article titled “Former Air Force Officer Arrested”.

He read it silently then started over, reading aloud to let the words sink in.

“A former Air Force officer was arrested today on charges of drug smuggling, embezzlement, and numerous other charges. Colonel Hector Jones is a cousin of Senator Howard Everson. Jones, who retired from the Air Force in 2002 rather suddenly due to an undisclosed stress related illness, was taken into custody and is being held without bond …”

Cam glanced up at John. “Is this real?”

John started to answer when the national news came on with Jones’ arrest as the lead in story. The network had obtained a sound clip of Jones being escorted from a small mansion to a black government vehicle.

“It’s a frame up! This was done out of jealousy! I’m innocent!”

The segment flipped to show agents leaving the Jones home with a computer, notebooks, and other sundry items then changed back to the anchorwoman in the studio.

“Sources within the investigation have confirmed that they have found material links detailing Jones’ involvement in the Afghani drug trade. We will continue to follow this story and keep you updated as new information comes available.”

Cam shut off the TV and tossed the remote on the nightstand. “He’s the asshole that caused the problems in Afghanistan, right?”

“Yeah,” John said softly. “He was my CO when Holland …”

Cam crossed the floor and knelt in front of John. “Hey, things have worked out all right. If he hadn’t withheld the order, you wouldn’t have ended up at McMurdo and we wouldn’t have met.”

John looked up. “I guess you’re right.”

“I know I’m right.” Can stood and drew John with him. “Now, let’s get to bed. It’s been a long day and we both need some sleep.”

They changed for bed and crawled into the luxurious king. Cam turned out the light and settled in against John’s back. He was on the verge of sleep when he remembered he hadn’t done something.

He ducked his chin and placed a kiss on John’s neck. “I love you.”

He didn’t expect a reply but a feeling of warmth spread through his body at the softly whispered words that drifted back to him.

“Love you too.”


	13. Leaving on a Jet Plane

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since this chapter is fairly short, I've decided to post it as well. Thanks to DorothyOz for her beta and comments and thanks to all of you for reading!
> 
> And, as a special treat, I've included a portion of the next story in line, Light of a Distant Star.

D-Day came all too soon for many of the Atlantis Expedition, especially John and Cam after their return to the SGC. The last few days were hectic as last-minute preparations were made. Standing in the conference room overlooking the Gateroom, John scuffed the sole of his boot on the carpet as he tried to come up with a way to tell Cam something they hadn’t discussed. His mind whirling in circles, John decided to simply spit it out. Cam knew he wasn’t good with expressing his feelings into words. Their bond would help to fill in the blanks, although he suspected that he got more from it than Cam did, which would make sense considering the strength of their respective genes. The incident at the bar where he got injured and the Prior-induced illness were pretty good indicators in his book, although they hadn’t consummated the bond yet when the bar fight occurred, so maybe that was part of it.

John sucked in a deep breath then took the plunge. “Um, Cam, there’s something I need to tell you.”

Cam cocked his head in curiosity. “What is it, John?”

“Pegasus is a dangerous place, what with the Wraith and the Genii and who knows what else.” John ducked his head to hide. If he looked Cam in the face, he’d never get this out. “So, um, if something happens to me, I um, don’twantyoutodoanythingstupid.”

Cam stared at him as he worked to decipher John’s statement. The last part had come out in a rush that would make Rodney proud.

Cam grabbed his hand and pulled him away from the big window to lean against the far wall. “The same goes for you. “The Milky Way still has lots of dangers. Granted, we don’t have sucky space-vampires, but we have the Ori and the Lucian Alliance and Ba’al. If something happens to me, don’t go and do something stupid and get yourself killed. By staying alive, we keep the other person alive inside of us.”

Cam grasped both of his hands and John wondered if they were shaking as much as he thought they were.

“Because, so help me God, if I die and you do something stupid, or if you get yourself killed doing something stupid, I will find you and de-ascend you just to kick your ass.”

Cam drew him into a hug and John let his head rest against Cam’s shoulder to soak up all the comfort he could against the lonely days ahead.

“Okay,” John said into the side of Cam’s neck.

Cam’s hands stroked along his spine, and John relaxed into the touches.

“There’s something I want you to do for me,” Cam said.

John pulled away and looked Cam in the face. His mate was serious, and he found it troubling.

“If something happens to me, I want you to be the one to tell my folks.”

“They don’t know me.”

“That doesn’t matter. Promise me you’ll get clearance and tell them what happened to me. Momma will help you sell the rest of the family the official story, but she and Dad deserve the truth.”

“Just like Ford’s family or Markham’s or …” John spat out.

“Look, I know it’s not fair, but most of them are not ready to hear that their loved one was off fighting space vampires,” Cam told him, “but my folks can handle it. Trust me.”

John was silent as he mulled over Cam’s request. It was the least he could do for the other half of his soul. “I promise,” John said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Cam wrapped him in a hug. “Thank you. I know what I’m asking is gonna be hard if it ever happens, but I want Momma to hear it from you. You’ll tell them the truth, and they deserve to get to know you.”

Cam released him and stepped back a bit. “Next time you get leave, we’ll go visit my folks. That way, you won’t feel so uncomfortable.”

“That sounds good.” John started to say something else, but his radio chirped in his ear. He reached up and tapped it. “Sheppard.”

_“Colonel, this is Major Marks aboard Daedalus. We are ready to start beaming your people up.”_

“Thanks. Beam up Doctor Weir and Gunny Atkins first. They’ll take charge of getting everyone settled on your end. I’ll come last so I can handle any issues on this end.”

_“Very good, Sir. Commencing beaming.”_

Flashes of brilliance followed his statement as the Daedalus’ Asgard transporter went to work.

“That’s my cue to get to work,” John said.

John started to turn, but was grabbed and spin around. He started to protest, but Cam caught him in a lip lock that silenced his objections. He melted into the kiss, aware that it was the last one he would get for a while. They parted to a mixed chorus of wolf whistles and oorahs from the soldiers left in the room. John turned and stared at the assembled troops, searching each face and, finding only acceptance, allowed the silly grin he was fighting to show.

“Alright, show’s over! Get it together, Marines!”

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

John shifted to stare out at the blue-shifted stars flowing past his cabin’s porthole. Earth was a long ways behind them and they were in the outer edges of Pegasus. He wondered what Cam was doing. Was he offworld pursuing Ori or some piece of an Arthurian legend? Or was he washing his car on a rare day off? Hopefully, there’d be some email waiting when he got home.

That thought drew his wandering thoughts to a halt. When had Atlantis become home? The first time he’d vowed to protect it or the first time he shed blood in defense of it? He shook his head. It really didn’t matter. The only thing that would make it better would be if Cam were with him.

Maybe. Someday. Hopefully.

He knew neither of them could keep going through the Stargate forever, but as with Jack, John doubted he’d ever be allowed to truly retire. The Ancient gene was still too rare and his was too strong. He could call anyplace Cam was home, but Atlantis was truly the home of his soul. Earth was like a resort – nice to visit but wouldn’t want to live there. The planet of his birth held little attraction for John and he had no desire to retire there.

Giving up on sleep, he showered and dressed then decided to head for the ship’s mess and get a cup of coffee. 

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Cam glanced up at the sky overhead as he stepped through the Stargate. Dawn was still a few hours away which gave them plenty of time to get into position before the village woke. Their orders were to observe before approaching. Reaching out, he snagged Daniel before he took a nosedive off the landing platform.

Once Teal’c and Sam cleared the event horizon, they took off, glad for the full twin moons lighting their way. In position, Cam looked out at the stars visible overhead and wondered what John was doing. Had they made it to Atlantis yet? Was he staring out his window, looking up at the stars even as Cam was and asking the same question? Or was he stepping onto an alien world in hopes of securing a trade agreement? Whatever task he was engaged in, he hoped there were no Wraith around.

Reaching back, he massaged a knot out of his calf. Even with the best physical therapy and daily workouts, his body was not happy with him. He figured he only had a few more years of Gate travel left if he avoided serious injury. An image of himself, silver haired and chained to a desk flashed through his mind and Cam shuddered. Maybe he could retire to Atlantis. His gene was strong enough and the city always needed gene carriers. Plus, he’d realized that John was in the same boat as O’Neill – he’d never get to retire. They’d probably make him a General and put him in the City Administrator’s chair.

Refocusing on the scene before him, Cam shelved that for another time. They weren’t there yet and he had other things to worry about right now. He looked up one more time and sent a thought winging into the velvety sky:

I love you. 

_~~ And Life Goes On ~~_

 

_Excerpt from Light of a Distant Star:_

Carson moved towards the private room where Colonel Sheppard currently resided. He knew there was a parade behind him, each member anxious to see the Colonel. He spun outside his alcove and faced the group as he donned a mask and gown. “You can look from here.”

Rodney stepped back, his eyes rolling wildly. “Why are you putting on a mask? Is he contagious?” His hands started fluttering as he checked for signs of illness. “Oh god, he’s contagious and you didn’t want to tell us and now we’re all gonna turn into bug things and …”

Carson rolled his eyes. “Hush, Rodney. The Colonel _can_ hear you. According to my tests, the change gave him heightened senses. How much of that will remain has yet to be determined.”

“You still didn’t answer my question: is he contagious?”

Carson shook his head. “This is a precaution. The retrovirus also affected his immune system. The last thing he needs is to get sick. Which is why all of ye are stayin’ out here.” 

“But …” Rodney began.

Elizabeth rested a restraining hand on Rodney’s arm. “Rodney, I know you want to visit, but there will be time for that later.”

“Aye,” Carson agreed. “Like after his system stabilizes and he’s awake and bored. Then the lot o’ ye will have yer hands full keepin’ him occupied. You know how moody he gets during long infirmary stays.”

“We could send him to Earth and let Mitchell take care of him,” Rodney said. “Surely the leader of SG-1 could keep one recuperating Lieutenant Colonel out of trouble.”

“No, Rodney. Absolutely not. I’ll not inflict Colonel Sunshine on Colonel Mitchell. I like him.”

“What?! Yeah Carson, go right ahead and keep it up. Don’t call me next time the scanner locks up because one of your minions touched the wrong controls.”

Carson stepped through the entry but paused halfway and turned. “I don’t call you anyway. I get Radek or Miko to fix it. They are happy to do so.” 

Carson shut out Rodney’s spluttering and focused on his patient. “Well, Colonel, how are we today?”

His question was rewarded with a dazed blink and a loose-fisted thumbs down.

“That poorly? Well, I can remedy that.” He administered the next dosage of pain meds and watched as they took effect. “Would you like something to eat?”

Carson waited to see if he would get an answer. Sheppard blinked still slit-pupiled eyes then rolled his dark head on the pillow. Swollen lips parted to allow a very human looking pink tongue to dart out.

“Th…ir…sssty.”

Carson’s heart skipped a beat in joy at the barely audible statement. That was the first word Sheppard had uttered in over a week. “Ice chips alright?” he asked as he reached for a cup.

“Ssss.”

Carson spooned a few in and observed the Colonel as he let them melt. Sheppard, as well as many of his other patients, had referred to the pieces of frozen water as little slivers of heaven. Seeing the rapture on Sheppard’s changed features, he could believe it. He fed him another spoon of ice and repeated until he fell asleep.

“Sleep well, lad.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I'm evil. But you all love me anyway.


End file.
